At least 47 dead in eastern Indonesian earthquake

At least 47 people have been killed in an earthquake off the coast of Indonesia in the eastern Flores region.

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

The epicentre was 42 miles north-northwest of Ende, a city in East Nusa Tenggara province. Although the epicentre was offshore, the earthquake damaged nearby communities on Flores Island, part of the province.

A dozen strong aftershocks followed the disaster and worsened impacts on residents.

Indonesia, an archipelago of some 17,500 islands, is prone to earthquakes and volcanoes. It sits on the Pacific “Ring of Fire” and is a hot spot for tectonic activity due to the convergence of the Australian and Sunda tectonic plates.

Since 1950, it has experienced about 37 earthquakes of magnitude 6 or greater, including a 7.8-magnitude quake and tsunami in 1992 which killed at least 2,500 people.

Hundreds of buildings in the region have been damaged by the newest quake and the dozens of aftershocks that followed.

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The national disaster management agency (BNPB) said the death toll rose from 38 to 40 and then 47. The toll is likely to rise as rescue officials search the rubble.

Also, more than 50 people were injured, while many others remain trapped in buildings.

About 1.5 million people were exposed to strong to severe shaking, according to the USGS.

At least 16 bodies were pulled from a landslide in one of the villages affected.

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The BNPB also reported that nearly 160 houses, dozens of educational and health facilities, and other public buildings were damaged.

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies said preparations were underway to bring aid to some 2,000 people in temporary shelters.

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

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

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