DID Press: At least 51 people have been killed and around 5,000 evacuated after a magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck eastern Indonesia.
The earthquake struck on Saturday morning in East Nusa Tenggara province. Health officials said 36 people were seriously injured and another 77 sustained minor injuries. Around 341 aftershocks have been recorded since the main quake.
Indonesian authorities said landslides and damaged roads have hampered rescue operations. More than 3,300 people in Sikka have voluntarily left their homes or taken shelter at a sports field.
According to Indonesia’s National Disaster Management Agency, more than 1,300 homes have been damaged, while some people remain trapped under the rubble. Rescue teams have reached parts of the city of Maumere after roads blocked by landslides were reopened.
More than 3,500 military and police personnel have been deployed to assist with rescue operations and manage the situation. Meanwhile, 20 fuel stations have stopped operating because of power outages.
Local authorities are considering declaring a state of emergency across East Nusa Tenggara.
The region was previously hit by a magnitude 7.5 earthquake in 1992, which caused widespread damage.