A powerful earthquake in Indonesia claimed the lives of at least 20 people
A powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck eastern Indonesia, followed by a series of aftershocks. At least 20 people were killed, several others were injured or trapped under rubble, and rescue workers are continuing their search efforts.
The first strong tremor occurred at 4:58 a.m. local time. According to Indonesia’s geophysical agency, BMKG, the earthquake occurred at a depth of about 15 kilometers. Dozens of aftershocks were recorded in the region following the main quake. Strong tremors were felt by residents of the provinces of East Nusa Tenggara, West Nusa Tenggara, and some areas of South Sulawesi.
Residents of several areas reported that the ground shook violently for about a minute.
The areas near the port city of Maumere were hardest hit. Rescue workers there found 20 people dead and six injured. According to preliminary reports, two more people remain trapped under the rubble. The head of the city’s rescue service, Fathur Rahman, reported that rescue workers have not yet been able to reach Nagekeo—the district located closest to the epicenter.
The affected areas are difficult to reach
The situation is complicated by landslides and communication outages. As a result, rescuers were unable to reach Nagekeo by vehicle. Another team attempted to reach the area by ferry.
Emanuel Melchiores Laka Lena, governor of East Nusa Tenggara, stated that at least five people may have died under the rubble. About 2,000 people have already been evacuated from Nagekeo. According to Indonesia’s National Agency for Disaster Management, homes, warehouses, and government facilities in the area have been damaged.
The earthquake caused traffic jams on the roads, and power outages occurred in some areas.
A tsunami followed the earthquake
Tsunami waves were recorded in several regions of Indonesia following the powerful earthquake. Their height was less than one meter. The tsunami warning was lifted approximately three hours after the earthquake.
Meanwhile, rescue services continue to gather information on the aftermath of the disaster. The figures on the number of fatalities and injuries may change, as rescuers have not yet reached some areas. The National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) reported other preliminary figures—one fatality and four injured—and noted that it is continuing to verify the information, according to Reuters.
Indonesia received its first shipment of Russian oil since signing an energy agreement with Russia. Specifically, on June 29, nearly 770,000 barrels of Russian oil worth approximately $75 million were delivered to the port of Balikpapan. The cargo was shipped from the Russian port of Kozmino and transported by the tanker Sierra.
