By Sunday Ameh
Panic has gripped parts of Indonesia after a powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck the Flores region, causing buildings and homes to collapse and forcing residents to flee their homes.
The earthquake struck shortly before 6am local time on Saturday at a shallow depth of about 6.2 miles, according to reports. Several aftershocks were subsequently recorded.
Residents in affected coastal areas were initially urged to stay away from beaches and riverbanks and move to higher ground after a tsunami warning was issued.
Although the warning was later lifted, tsunami waves of less than one metre were reportedly recorded in some parts of the country.
Local television footage showed patients being evacuated from hospitals as medical workers moved beds, oxygen cylinders, intravenous stands and other equipment to temporary treatment areas outside buildings.
In the port town of Maumere, two people were reportedly found dead, while six others sustained injuries and two people were said to be trapped beneath rubble.
The earthquake caused widespread panic across Flores Island, with residents rushing out of buildings for safety.
Hery Nabit, head of the local Manggarai government, said the earthquake occurred shortly after residents woke up.
According to him, he immediately rushed to protect his family as the tremor shook the area.
“It was very, very scary; people were panicked,” he said, describing the shaking as lasting for almost a minute.
A 51-year-old resident of Talibura in East Nusa Tenggara also described the tremor as massive, saying members of her family ran outside to escape the danger.
At St Peter Major Seminary in Sikka, the earthquake struck while students were attending morning Mass.
The rector, Guidelbertus Tanga, said at least one priest suffered a broken leg after jumping from the second floor of a building during the earthquake.
Indonesia is particularly vulnerable to earthquakes and volcanic activity because it lies along the Pacific Ring of Fire, an area characterised by numerous active volcanoes and fault lines.
Flores has experienced devastating earthquakes before. A powerful earthquake that struck the island in December 1992 triggered a tsunami that killed about 2,500 people.
Authorities and emergency responders are continuing to assess the extent of the damage and respond to affected communities.
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