Around 5,000 individuals have been relocated following a powerful magnitude-7.7 earthquake that struck eastern Indonesia, leading to a death toll of at least 53, road blockages, and landslides, as announced by authorities on Sunday. Over 130 people sustained injuries, many of them with fractures.

The earthquake that occurred on Saturday marked the country’s deadliest event since a prior quake in 2022 claimed the lives of hundreds in West Java. The disaster mitigation agency BNPB reported that over 3,300 individuals in the Sikka region either self-evacuated or found shelter in a sports arena.

Residents of Sikka found themselves outside collapsed residences, seeking refuge under makeshift tarps. Abdul Mutas, 63, shared his experience of fleeing to safety as the tides rose during the quake, leaving him and his family to sleep on a tarp amidst the trees in Sikka town.

Simon Subandi, the deputy regent of Sikka, mentioned that the majority of Sikka residents opted to sleep outside, either on a porch or in tents. A significant deployment of over 3,500 military and police personnel has been carried out in the affected region, as confirmed by Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya.

Fear of aftershocks loomed over residents of Maumere, with the disaster agency recording nearly 1,000 aftershocks post the earthquake. A sports stadium in the vicinity served as an evacuation site, where residents lined up for warm beverages, mothers improvised cradles from clothing for their babies, and children engaged in soccer games outdoors.

Margaretha Movaldes Da Maga Bapa, the head of the region’s disaster mitigation agency, reflected on how the recent quake reignited memories of the traumatic 1992 earthquake for residents. Search operations are ongoing in the most severely impacted areas to clear rubble and locate individuals who may still be trapped.

Although power restoration efforts are nearing completion, authorities are still addressing distribution line repairs. An emergency declaration has been made for the province by the East Nusa Tenggara government, enabling the mobilization of resources and funding, as per BNPB. Geology expert Dwikorita Karnawati highlighted the earthquake risk in the region due to the “Flores back-arc thrust fault,” emphasizing the seismic activity in the area.

The earthquake-stricken region had previously experienced a devastating magnitude-7.5 earthquake in 1992, causing widespread destruction. Indonesia, with its vast population and geographical location in the seismically active “Pacific Ring of Fire,” remains susceptible to earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.