More than 200 people were injured after Saturday’s 7.7-magnitude earthquake.
On Monday, the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) confirmed that 9,963 Indonesians are staying in makeshift shelters after being forced to leave their homes Saturday due to the magnitude 7.7 earthquake that struck off the coast of Flores island, killing 68 people and injuring more than 200.
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The NGO Save the Children said many earthquake victims are spending the night outside their homes in the hardest-hit areas of East Nusa Tenggara province.
In the Ende district, nearly 1,000 aftershocks have been recorded, including a magnitude 5.7 earthquake that shook Flores again Monday. About 2 million people live on the island. No tsunami warning was issued.
The new earthquake occurred at 8:46 a.m. local time at a depth of 35.6 kilometers (22.1 miles), with its epicenter 42.1 kilometers (26.2 miles) north-northwest of Ende, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) reported.
More videos are surfacing of the exact moment the earthquake hit Indonesia, following the powerful magnitude 7.7 quake recorded off the coast of Flores Island. Footage shows buildings shaking and residents rushing outside as the tremor struck. A tsunami warning remains in… pic.twitter.com/ntZ67G8reo
— Victoria (@VictoriaMunroee) August 15, 2026
Updated Death Toll
In the past 24 hours, the Indonesian government raised the death toll from the earthquake from 53 to 68. The quake also injured 213 people with injuries of varying severity, while rescue teams continue searching for survivors. Authorities have not provided a figure for the number of people missing.
At least 914 homes were virtually destroyed in cities such as Ende — the most populated locality on Flores, with nearly 90,000 residents — while 93 schools and 36 health centers suffered partial or severe damage.
The report, released by the United Nations Humanitarian Aid Coordination Agency, includes data on minor damage to numerous roads in the province, located about 600 kilometers from the island of Bali.
In response to the growing scale of the disaster, the provincial government declared a state of emergency in the region for the next 14 days, with the aim of coordinating aid with central authorities. Similar measures have also been officially adopted in the affected districts and cities.
AFTERSHOCKS of Indonesia’s 7.7 earthquake PREVENTING safe evacuation, 5000+ already evacuated and 53 DEAD — CNBC pic.twitter.com/6hvLCo4Sp8
— RT Intl (@RT_on_X) August 16, 2026
Risks and Aid
According to estimates by Save the Children, more than 8,000 children face safety risks after losing their homes, places of study, their parents’ or legal guardians’ sources of income, or because of delays in the arrival of humanitarian aid in some hard-to-reach areas.
“People are distressed and scared, especially children and older adults,” the NGO said, urging authorities and humanitarian organizations to provide a comprehensive aid plan that prioritizes shelter and food but also includes other needs such as health and recreation.
Although the government of Prabowo Subianto has not requested international assistance, China offered Monday to provide aid.
Meanwhile, Pope Leo XIV sent a message of spiritual solidarity and closeness to those affected in Indonesia, the country with the world’s largest Muslim population, in which he “encourages ecclesiastical and civil authorities to continue providing humanitarian assistance and prays for emergency personnel dedicated to recovery efforts.”
Flores is an exception in the archipelago of more than 17,000 islands, with a majority Catholic population. Indonesia lies on the so-called Pacific Ring of Fire, an area of intense seismic and volcanic activity where numerous earthquakes occur every year, most of them moderate.
teleSUR/ JF
Source: EFE
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