47 people dead in earthquake in eastern Indonesia

At least 47 people have died after an earthquake hit off the coast of Indonesia in the eastern Flores region.

The United States Geological Survey said a 7.7 magnitude earthquake struck early Saturday morning. The quake was centered in waters north of the island, about 1,000 miles east of Jakarta, the capital.

The epicenter was 42 miles north-northwest of Ende, a city in East Nusa Tenggara province. Even though the epicenter was offshore, the quake caused damage to nearby communities on Flores Island, which is part of the province.

A dozen strong aftershocks followed the earthquake and made the situation worse for the residents.

Indonesia's Earthquake Risk

Indonesia has about 17,500 islands and is known for its earthquakes and volcanoes. The country sits on the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” where the Australian and Sunda tectonic plates meet.

Since 1950, Indonesia has had around 37 earthquakes that were magnitude 6 or greater. This includes a 7.8 magnitude quake and tsunami in 1992 that killed at least 2,500 people.

The recent quake has damaged hundreds of buildings in the region and caused problems with the many aftershocks that followed.

The national disaster management agency, BNPB, reported that the death toll went from 38 to 40 and then to 47. The number could go up as rescue teams search through the rubble.

Ongoing Rescue Efforts

More than 50 people were injured, and many others are still trapped in buildings. About 1.5 million people felt strong to severe shaking, according to USGS.

At least 16 bodies were recovered from a landslide in one of the affected villages. BNPB also said that nearly 160 houses, along with many schools, health facilities, and other public buildings, were damaged.

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies announced they are getting ready to provide help to around 2,000 people in temporary shelters.

The Indonesian government is sending 50,000 aid packages, weighing a total of 275 tonnes, to the area.

Meanwhile, Ursula von der Leyen, the chief of the European Union, said the bloc is using Copernicus Earth observation satellites to help operations in Indonesia.

“Our satellite system Copernicus is already supporting mapping operations,” she wrote on X.