Thousands of people who had been displaced by a strong Indonesian earthquake have set up camp near government buildings, police stations, and schools in anticipation of assistance.
Rescue personnel reported that the 7.7-magnitude earthquake, which struck early Saturday, resulted in 54 deaths and over 100 injuries, with no missing persons reported.
Berton Suar Pelita Panjaitan, a spokesperson for Indonesia’s BNPB national disaster agency, told AFP that by Monday morning, the number of displaced residents across several municipalities on Flores Island had risen to 12,800.
According to the BMKG geological agency, residents prepared to spend a third night outdoors due to fear of returning home as more than 1,600 aftershocks continued to shake the region.
According to AFP, it observed a number of people camped out in improvised tents they had built with tarpaulins and poles in the little village of Mbay in the Nagekeo district closest to the epicentre.
“Our houses are no longer liveable, because many have collapsed and are full of cracks, so we can’t go inside anymore,” Mbay resident Junaidin, 32, said outside a self-made tent that was sleeping about 30 people.
“We only go back home to get water, clothes, pillows, and then we… spend the nights here.”
While Indonesians celebrated Independence Day with festivities in the capital, Jakarta, he expressed frustration over what he considered delays in delivering relief supplies.
The Indonesian Air Force said two Hercules aircraft and a Boeing plane were transporting 13 tonnes of emergency supplies to the affected area.
Backstory…
The rising death toll comes as rescue teams continue searching for victims following the magnitude 7.7 earthquake that struck eastern Indonesia on Saturday, with landslides and damaged roads making it difficult to reach some of the worst-hit communities.
The disaster also caused extensive damage to homes and public infrastructure. The Associated Press reported that more than 1,300 homes had sustained damage, displacing about 5,000 people, while schools and other public facilities also suffered damage.
Read Also: 7.7-Magnitude Earthquake Hits Indonesia, Kills at Least 38
