Ruteng counts cost of Flores quake as power, roads and homes remain damaged

Residents of Ruteng in East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia, are grappling with the aftermath of a powerful earthquake that struck the Flores region on Sunday, leaving homes in ruins and essential services disrupted.

Several buildings in the town sustained significant damage, including the Manggarai Regent's Office and a Catholic university. Debris was scattered across the affected areas as authorities began the slow process of assessing the full extent of the destruction.

Manggarai Regent Hery Nabit said the immediate priority was restoring basic utilities. "The biggest challenge in handling the situation is the power outage across Manggarai Regency," he said. "Telephone networks were also down until the afternoon."

Nabit identified Reo, in northern Manggarai, as the worst-affected area in the regency. The town remains cut off after landslides blocked several access routes, hampering rescue and relief efforts.

For many residents, the quake has brought a sudden and traumatic loss of security. "Right now, I feel confused and panicked because the home where we felt comfortable suddenly collapsed in an instant," said Yohanes Defianus Ratu, whose house was destroyed.

The U.S. Geological Survey reported that the earthquake struck at a depth of 10 kilometers (6 miles) at 5:58 a.m. local time. The tremor triggered brief tsunami warnings, which were later lifted, and sent residents fleeing in panic.

Rescue teams are focusing on three regencies that remain inaccessible: Manggarai, East Manggarai and Nagekeo. Meanwhile, authorities are monitoring continuing aftershocks, and many residents whose homes were damaged are now sheltering in tents.

Indonesia, an archipelago of more than 17,000 islands, is highly prone to earthquakes and volcanic eruptions due to its location on the Pacific "Ring of Fire," a horseshoe-shaped zone of intense seismic activity.