Jakarta, Aug 16 (V7N)- The death toll from the powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake that struck eastern Indonesia has risen to 51, with hundreds more injured, as rescue and relief operations continue.
Reuters reported on Sunday (August 16) that around 5,000 people have been evacuated to safer locations because of landslides and blocked roads following the earthquake in East Nusa Tenggara province on Saturday morning (August 15).
According to Deputy Health Minister Benjamin Paulus Octavianus, the earthquake has been followed by around 341 aftershocks. At least 36 people were seriously injured, while another 77 sustained minor injuries.
The Sikka region has been among the worst affected. More than 3,300 people have voluntarily moved to safer areas, with many spending the night outside their damaged homes under tarpaulins.
In the city of Maumere, injured people are being treated in tents outside a hospital as authorities continue to assess the damage.
Landslides blocked roads in several parts of Maumere, initially making it difficult for rescuers to reach affected areas. Authorities have yet to determine the exact number of missing people, but said some could still be trapped beneath collapsed structures.
More than 1,300 houses have been damaged in the disaster.
More than 3,500 soldiers and police personnel have been deployed to assist with rescue and relief operations. Meanwhile, 20 petrol stations have reportedly been forced to close because of power outages.
The region has experienced devastating earthquakes before. A 7.5-magnitude earthquake in 1992 caused widespread destruction in the same area.
Indonesia is particularly vulnerable to earthquakes and volcanic eruptions because it lies along the Pacific ‘Ring of Fire’, one of the world's most seismically active regions.
END/SMA/AJ
