Thousands of individuals in Flores, Indonesia, were still awaiting assistance on Monday following a severe earthquake that resulted in a minimum of 68 fatalities, over 200 injuries, and extensive damage to numerous residences and structures. In East Nusa Tenggara province, residents were mourning the victims while hoping for aid to reach isolated communities impacted by the calamity.

Rasyid Jafar, a local clothing vendor in the most affected area of Manggarai regency, lamented the destruction of his house and emphasized the urgent need for essential supplies like food, medicine, and clean water. President Prabowo Subianto, during Indonesia’s Independence Day ceremony in Jakarta, called for prayers for the quake-affected individuals in East Nusa Tenggara and across the nation.

The earthquake, which struck East Nusa Tenggara province early on Saturday at a depth of 10 kilometers, caused extensive devastation, damaging over 4,500 homes, displacing around 19,000 people to temporary shelters, and injuring 213 individuals. The disaster also inflicted harm on 122 health facilities, 252 schools, and 84 places of worship. A state of emergency was declared for 14 days by the province’s governor on Sunday.

Aftershocks continued to rattle the region, with approximately 1,576 recorded by Monday, some of which were felt by residents. The deployment of nearly 1,500 military and police personnel, along with 10 aircraft for aid distribution, was hampered by logistical challenges, slowing down assistance delivery to severely affected areas.

Emergency field hospitals were established in Ruteng to cater to earthquake victims due to the damage sustained by local medical facilities. Search and rescue operations persisted in the affected regions, with authorities focusing on providing relief to remote communities such as Palue Island, which faced significant challenges accessing aid following the earthquake.

Indonesia, situated along the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” is susceptible to seismic events and volcanic activities. The recent quake in Flores is a grim reminder of the country’s vulnerability, with past disasters like the devastating 1992 earthquake and tsunami in the region that claimed thousands of lives.