Emergency crews are racing against time across the island of Flores after a massive magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck early Saturday morning, leaving at least 47 people dead. The tremor hit just before 5:00 local time, catching many residents while they slept and causing buildings to collapse atop them. Governor Emanuel Melkiades Laka Lena confirmed during a press conference that many of the victims were killed instantly by falling rubble. While the shaking was felt as far west as Bima Regency, the hardest hits were concentrated in Manggarai province, where nearly half of the total fatalities were recorded.
The devastation is widespread throughout the remote and mountainous region, making it difficult for officials to gauge the full scale of the tragedy. Early assessments suggest that over 150 homes have been destroyed alongside numerous schools, hospitals, and places of worship. At the port in Maumere, dramatic scenes unfolded as concrete slabs broke away from the terminal building and a gangway collapsed, throwing passengers into the sea. Residents like Arnold Welianto described a scene of chaos as families woke up in terror and rushed toward higher ground fearing a tsunami after noticing the tide receding from the coast.
Although an initial tsunami warning prompted thousands to evacuate inland, authorities lifted the alert three hours later after monitoring systems detected no significant rise in sea levels. Despite this relief, rescue efforts remain grueling as landslides have blocked roads to isolated villages. Teams are working tirelessly to dig survivors out of the debris while temporary medical tents have been erected outside hospitals in towns like Ruteng to handle the influx of injured patients. The National Disaster Management Agency has begun deploying thousands of aid packages to base operations to support those displaced by the disaster.
This latest catastrophe serves as a stark reminder of Indonesia’s precarious position on the Ring of Fire, situated at the intersection of three major tectonic plates. Adding to the tension, a separate magnitude 6.9 earthquake struck another part of the country shortly after the events on Flores. Officials continue to urge citizens to remain vigilant and avoid damaged structures or coastal areas as dozens of aftershocks continue to rattle the region.
