Indonesia, the archipelago that sits on the Pacific 'ring of fire' like a dragon on its hoard of tectonic chaos, has been reminded once again that it lives on some of the most restless geology on Earth. A 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck eastern Indonesia early Saturday, killing at least 47 people and sending residents scrambling for higher ground as buildings collapsed and the ground shook like a giant's frantic trampoline.
The quake hit at 4:58am local time at a depth of 15km (9 miles) in the Flores region, according to Indonesia's geophysics agency, BMKG. The epicentre was located off the north coast of Flores, about 42 miles north-west of the coastal town of Ende. A tsunami warning was issued but later lifted, though waves of up to 1.5 metres (3ft) were recorded in several areas. At least 235 aftershocks followed, including one of magnitude 6.1, which is the kind of follow-up act nobody asked for.
Rescuers have yet to reach Nagekeo, the area closest to the epicentre, because landslides have blocked roads and communications are down. In the port town of Maumere, rescue agency head Fathur Rahman reported 20 people dead, six severely injured, and two trapped under rubble. Eight of those deaths were caused by a landslide. Maumere is the main town in Sikka regency on Flores Island, which is in the east of Indonesia's vast archipelago.
A video verified by Reuters shows parts of a building collapsing at a port in Maumere as people scream and run. Another video shows a coastal village covered in mud and debris after a 1.61-metre tsunami wave hit Ngada village in east Manggarai. Preliminary data shows 346 homes, 87 schools, and more than a dozen health facilities were damaged. Authorities say residents are trapped in several buildings.
"I have never felt an earthquake this big," said Yulian Juita Ekalia, a university professor who lives more than 60 miles from the epicentre. "It felt like we were on a trampoline, it was really scary." Which is one way to describe it, though trampolines typically don't leave piles of rubble in their wake.
Teams are trying to reach Nagekeo by ferry because road access is blocked by landslides, said Fathur. Police chief of East Nusa Tenggara province, Rudi Darmoko, said power cuts are complicating rescue efforts. "We are continuing to collect reports of damage and casualties, but there are communication disruptions," he said. Landslides in Ende regency have also cut off the Trans-Flores highway, a 435-mile mountain road.
Residents in Nagekeo raced for higher ground immediately after the quake. "Suddenly it started to shake and I panicked," said Lukas Lotar, a hospital customer service official. "Patients also fled the hospital, the jolt was big. I saw some walls were cracked." Yohanes Babo, 56, was at a market when the quake hit. "The shaking was strong. Thankfully, we were already outside the house," he said. "People were panicking, running here and there. We're evacuating for the time being … and trying to get to the hills. My family is safe. No one was harmed."
About 2,000 people in Nagekeo evacuated, and damage to a number of houses, warehouses, and government facilities was reported by the national disaster mitigation agency, the BNPB. The agency put the quake's toll at one dead and four injured, but said it was still gathering data. Local television showed patients at several hospitals being evacuated, with healthcare workers setting up temporary treatment facilities outdoors, moving beds, IV stands, and oxygen onto the streets.
Yohanna Embu, a resident of Sikka regency, said many buildings were damaged. "I saw that the waiting room at the port terminal in Maumere had collapsed," she said. A second earthquake of magnitude 6.1 struck off northern Sumatra hours after the initial quake, with no casualties yet reported. Because when one earthquake isn't enough, Indonesia's geology decided to offer a sequel.
Indonesia, consisting of more than 17,000 islands, is prone to earthquakes and volcanic activity because of its location on the 'ring of fire', an arc of geophysical activity in the Pacific basin. In 2004, a 9.1-magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of western Indonesia, causing a tsunami that killed 220,000 people in the Asia Pacific area. That history may explain why, despite the chaos, many residents' first instinct was to head for the hills - a habit that, given the region's seismic enthusiasm, is probably wise.