At least 51 people have been killed and about 5,000 evacuated after a magnitude-7.7 earthquake struck Indonesia’s East Nusa Tenggara province on Saturday morning.
The powerful quake triggered landslides, blocked roads and damaged more than 1,300 homes, with widespread destruction reported in the Sikka region.
Hundreds of aftershocks have since rattled the area, prompting residents to remain outdoors as authorities continue rescue and assessment efforts amid fears of further destruction.
Deputy Health Minister Benjamin Paulus Octavianus said 36 people had sustained serious injuries, while another 77 suffered minor injuries. The disaster has prompted a large-scale emergency response involving security personnel, rescuers and government agencies.
The disaster mitigation agency BNPB said more than 3,300 people in Sikka had either evacuated independently or sought shelter at a sports arena.
Many residents remained afraid to return to their homes, with some sleeping outdoors under makeshift shelters made from tarpaulins.
Abdul Mutas, 63, described fleeing with his family as the earthquake struck.
“I only brought my body,” Mutas told Reuters after he and his family spent the night sleeping on a tarp surrounded by trees in Sikka. “The tides were rising, so we ran,” he said.
The scale of the evacuation reflected concerns among residents about further danger following the earthquake and its numerous aftershocks.
The disaster mitigation agency said the main earthquake was followed by about 341 aftershocks, further unsettling communities and complicating rescue and recovery efforts.
Simon Subandi, deputy regent of Sikka, said residents were reluctant to remain inside buildings.
“Almost all of Sikka's residents didn't dare stay indoors, so they slept on a porch or a tent outside,” he told news channel KompasTV.
More than 3,500 military and police officers have been deployed to the affected region as authorities work to assist communities, secure damaged areas and support rescue operations.
Indonesia’s search and rescue agency said rescuers had reached parts of Maumere that had initially been cut off by landslides. However, there was no immediate figure for the number of people still missing.
Authorities said many victims were believed to have been trapped beneath rubble, while the extent of damage continued to emerge.
More than 1,300 homes have been damaged, according to BNPB. Power outages have also disrupted fuel supplies, with state energy company Pertamina reporting that 20 petrol stations were unable to operate.
The East Nusa Tenggara government is considering declaring an emergency across the province. Such a declaration would allow authorities to mobilise additional resources and funding for rescue, relief and recovery operations.
The earthquake has revived memories of another major disaster in the region. Indonesia’s geophysics agency said the area was struck by a magnitude-7.5 earthquake in 1992 that caused extensive destruction.
Indonesia is particularly vulnerable to earthquakes because the archipelago of about 290 million people lies along the Pacific Ring of Fire, a seismically active zone where tectonic plates meet.
The location exposes the country to frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, making emergency preparedness and rapid response critical to protecting communities.
Rescue and recovery operations are expected to continue as authorities assess damage, search for missing people and provide shelter and medical assistance to thousands of displaced residents.