Indonesia Quake: Death Toll Climbs to 47 as Rescue Teams Reach Remote Areas
A 7.7 magnitude quake in eastern Indonesia has killed at least 47 people. Rescue efforts are hampered by landslides and damaged roads.
At least 47 people are confirmed dead after a powerful magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck off the coast of eastern Indonesia on Saturday, according to the country's National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB). The quake, which occurred at a depth of 15 kilometers, was followed by dozens of aftershocks and triggered a tsunami warning that was lifted about three hours later.
The temblor struck in the early hours of the morning, catching many residents as they slept. In East Nusa Tenggara province, Governor Emanuel Melkiades Laka Lena reported that at least five people died when buildings collapsed on them. The port town of Maumere on Flores Island was among the hardest hit, with rescue workers there recovering 20 bodies and pulling two people alive from the rubble.
Rescue efforts are being complicated by the region's rugged terrain. Landslides have blocked roads and disrupted communications, preventing teams from reaching Nagekeo, the area closest to the epicenter. Authorities are attempting to reach the isolated region by ferry as they work to assess the full scale of the damage.
Survivors described scenes of chaos and fear. "The quake was massive, the shock was so strong," said Nona, a 51-year-old resident of Talibura village. "There were 13 of us inside the house and we all ran to save ourselves." Many residents remain too afraid to return to their homes. "At the moment we don't dare to go home just yet because the situation isn't stable," said Siti Sulfia Bira, a 37-year-old Maumere resident who fled to higher ground.
The BNPB reported significant damage across the affected area, with preliminary data showing 157 homes heavily damaged and 87 schools affected. Power outages and traffic congestion have been reported in parts of the region. A hospital in Ende district was seen moving patients outside as a precaution.
The quake was felt strongly across several provinces, including East Nusa Tenggara, West Nusa Tenggara, and parts of South Sulawesi, with tremors lasting about a minute in some areas. The Indonesian geophysics agency BMKG noted that the same region experienced a magnitude 7.5 earthquake in 1992 that caused extensive destruction.
Indonesia sits on the Pacific Ring of Fire, a seismically active zone where tectonic plates meet, making the archipelago prone to frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. The country is still recovering from a 2018 earthquake and tsunami in Palu that killed more than 4,000 people.