Five Reported Dead After Magnitude 7.7 Earthquake Strikes Flores
Five people have been reported dead following a magnitude 7.7 earthquake that shook Flores Island, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), on Saturday morning (15/8). Two of the victims were from Sikka Regency, while the other three were from Manggarai Regency.
NTT Governor Emanuel Melkiades Laka Lena said the casualty figures were still being verified by teams in the field. The NTT provincial government, together with the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI), National Police (Polri), National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas), Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG), Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD), and district governments in Flores, continued to collect data on victims and damage.
“At present, the information I have received indicates there are five fatalities: two in Sikka and three in Manggarai,” Emanuel said during a press conference at the NTT Regional Police headquarters on Saturday (15/8).
According to him, the five victims are believed to have died after being struck by collapsing buildings. However, the government is still confirming the cause and condition of each victim through reports from officers in the field.
Emanuel said the earthquake’s impact was quite serious in several areas, particularly in the northern part of Flores. Local governments in all affected districts have been asked to immediately assess conditions in their respective areas, including building damage, fatalities, and injured residents.
“Indeed, the damage, as far as we have observed from the reports we have received, is serious in various places, especially in the northern part of Flores,” he said.
To ascertain the latest conditions, Emanuel, together with NTT Regional Police Chief Inspector General Rudi Darmoko and members of the NTT Regional Leadership Coordination Forum (Forkopimda), was scheduled to depart for Flores using an aircraft belonging to the NTT Regional Police that afternoon.
The visit was intended to see firsthand the impact of the earthquake and to ensure the handling of victims and the needs of affected communities.
Emanuel acknowledged that data on casualties and damage could not yet be presented in full because SAR teams and local governments were still conducting assessments at several locations. “It is better that we confirm first. We apologise that we cannot yet present detailed data, including details on the damage,” he said.
He urged the public and the media not to spread unverified information, including reports about tsunami threats or aftershocks that did not come from official authorities, which could cause further panic among residents.
NTT Regional Police Chief Inspector General Rudi Darmoko said all elements of the TNI-Polri, Basarnas, BPBD and related agencies had been deployed to search for, rescue and evacuate earthquake victims in Flores.
The Regional Police Chief, together with the NTT Governor and Forkopimda members, would also go directly to the affected areas, namely Sikka and Nagekeo, which were reported to have suffered quite severe impacts. The visit was also to ensure the needs of victims and the obstacles faced by officers in the field. “We have deployed all available resources to the maximum extent possible,” he said.
For the needs of displaced residents, food and drink are the top priority. TNI-Polri personnel and related agencies have also been ordered to prepare aid posts in the earthquake-affected areas.
In addition, the central government has reportedly paid attention to the disaster response. A number of ministries and agencies have prepared support, including the deployment of two helicopters to assist with mobilisation and handling in the affected areas.
NTT BPBD representative Richard Pelt asked all contractors with heavy equipment in Flores to immediately deploy that equipment to help open access to affected roads.
“All contractors who have heavy equipment must help the government in this emergency situation. Do not keep your heavy equipment idle,” Richard said.
He also urged business operators, especially food and beverage shops in Flores, to help meet the basic needs of affected residents in the early stages of the disaster through district and city governments, the TNI, and the Polri. The NTT provincial government and all relevant parties will continue to update casualty and damage data after the results of field assessments are available.