JAKARTA : A magnitude 5.9 earthquake struck Indonesia’s Flores region early Monday, as the death toll from a powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake that hit eastern Indonesia days earlier rose to 54, according to the German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ) and Indonesia’s National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB).
The latest earthquake occurred at a depth of around 10 kilometres, with its epicentre initially located at 8.57 degrees south latitude and 121.55 degrees east longitude, as reported by Anadolu News Agency, citing GFZ.
The fresh tremor comes days after the magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck six regencies in eastern Flores Island, leaving a trail of destruction across East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) province.
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According to Xinhua, BNPB chief Suharyanto on Monday said that the death toll from the 7.7-magnitude earthquake had risen to 54, while authorities continued to assess casualties and damage. Rescue teams were providing medical assistance to hundreds of injured people.
More than 12,000 people had been left homeless as of Sunday, with homes and public facilities damaged in the quake, Xinhua reported. The Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency said aftershocks were continuing.
Authorities have deployed land, sea and air transportation, including 11 aircraft and helicopters, to deliver relief supplies and support evacuation operations in remote areas, including Palue Island in Sikka regency.
A field hospital is also being prepared at Golo Dukal Stadium after the earthquake damaged Manggarai Regional Hospital and disrupted local health services, Xinhua reported.
Preliminary BNPB data indicated that 157 homes were severely damaged, while 41 suffered moderate damage and 148 sustained light damage. Critical public infrastructure was also impacted, including 87 educational facilities, 18 healthcare centres, six administrative offices and five places of worship.
To support relief operations, BNPB has dispatched extensive emergency supplies to the affected region.
In Jakarta, a major airlift operation was launched from Halim Perdanakusuma Air Force Base to transport 50,000 aid packages weighing 275 tonnes. President Prabowo Subianto oversaw the initial dispatch of 10,500 packages that arrived at the airbase for immediate deployment.
Following the initial tremor, the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency issued a tsunami early warning, which was lifted at 7:30 am (local time) after monitoring confirmed there had been no dangerous sea-level rise along affected coastal areas.
The events come following Saturday night, when Indonesia was struck by its third earthquake of the day.
Sharing the details in a post on X, the National Centre for Seismology said that a magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck the Gulf of Tomini on Saturday night.
This came as a magnitude 6.5 quake struck Indonesia on Saturday afternoon, hours after a devastating 7.7-magnitude earthquake in the morning.
According to the US Geological Survey (USGS), the 7.7 magnitude earthquake struck Indonesia’s Flores region at 5:58 am local time, with its epicentre located roughly 68 kilometres north-northwest of Ende city in East Nusa Tenggara province. Several aftershocks followed the initial quake.
