Indonesia Earthquake Death Toll Rises to 68 as Search for Survivors Continues
- At least 68 people have been killed and more than 200 injured after a powerful earthquake struck eastern Indonesia.
- Rescue teams are searching damaged and collapsed buildings for people feared trapped under the rubble.
- Thousands of residents have been evacuated, while nearly 1,600 aftershocks have heightened fears across East Nusa Tenggara.
- Survivors in some affected villages are facing shortages of clean water and other essential assistance.
Rescue operations continued in eastern Indonesia on Monday after a deadly earthquake killed at least 68 people and injured more than 200, leaving thousands displaced and several communities waiting for urgently needed assistance.
The death toll rose from an earlier figure of 54 as emergency teams continued searching collapsed and damaged buildings for people who may still be trapped beneath the rubble.
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Thousands of residents have been evacuated from affected areas, with many spending their nights outdoors in temporary tents. Fear of further aftershocks has prevented numerous families from returning to their homes.
The disaster is Indonesia’s deadliest since an earthquake in West Java killed hundreds of people in 2022. It has also cast a shadow over the country’s Independence Day celebrations.
East Nusa Tenggara has experienced nearly 1,600 aftershocks since the earthquake, adding to anxiety among residents. Another 5.6-magnitude earthquake was recorded in the region on Monday morning.
The earthquake also triggered landslides and blocked roads in parts of Indonesia’s southernmost province, including Sikka and Manggarai, complicating rescue operations and efforts to deliver assistance to affected communities.
Near the quake-hit Ende region, tents and hospital beds were set up in the parking area of a damaged health centre as medical workers treated residents affected by the disaster.
Among them was 64-year-old farmer Firmus Woge, whose asthma worsened following the panic caused by the earthquake. He experienced breathing difficulties overnight and said his condition deteriorated again following Monday morning’s tremor.
Conditions were also difficult for displaced residents from Ranukolo village. Farmer Emilianus Oro, 56, said around 70 residents, most of them women, were staying in nearby tents without adequate access to clean water.
According to Oro, the water shortage had resulted in children suffering from diarrhoea, while an elderly resident had suffered a stroke. He said their group had yet to receive assistance as they waited for relief to reach the affected area.
With aftershocks continuing, rescue teams remain focused on finding people trapped in damaged structures while displaced communities await food, clean water, medical assistance and other essential supplies.
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