Thousands of residents on the Indonesian island of Flores are still waiting for help, days after a powerful earthquake killed at least 54 people, injured hundreds and caused serious damage. The tragedy coincided with today's celebration of Indonesia's 81st independence anniversary, but for many people the day is not spent in celebrations, but in mourning and waiting for rescue assistance, the Associated Press reported, quoted by Focus.
Many residents continue to search for their loved ones, and some settlements remain isolated due to the damage caused by the earthquake. Rescue teams on the island are continuing to search for people who may be buried under collapsed buildings.
The 7.7 magnitude earthquake struck the province of East Nusa Tenggara on Saturday. The epicenter was in the Flores island area, where the most serious damage was reported.
According to the National Disaster Management Agency, more than 1,300 homes were damaged, with nearly 250 of them destroyed on Flores. About 5,000 people were forced to seek shelter in temporary shelters, and the number of injured reached 135.
Due to the scale of the disaster, the governor of the province, Emmanuel Melquíades Laca Lena, declared a 14-day state of emergency.
According to the US Geological Survey, the earthquake's hypocenter was about 10 kilometers deep. The main tremor was followed by numerous aftershocks, the strongest of which were of magnitude 6.1 and 5.9.
The earthquake was felt in an area where about 1.5 million people live. Rescue services continue to assess the damage and deliver aid to affected communities.
Indonesia is particularly vulnerable to earthquakes, as the archipelago of more than 17,000 islands is located in the so-called “Ring of Fire“ - one of the most active seismic regions on the planet.