'Another chance to live': Flores residents recall Indonesia quake panic

On August 15, a powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck the island of Flores in eastern Indonesia, causing extensive damage to homes, schools, healthcare facilities, and other public buildings. Melania Nius, a 56-year-old woman, recounted the harrowing experience of the quake and her efforts to safeguard her family. Melania, her husband Basianus Cak, and their two children were lying in bed when the earthquake struck, shaking their town to its core.

The bed almost flipped over as tables and items scattered across the room, causing panic among the family. They quickly pushed the bed and their father to safety outside, praying for their lives to be spared. The epicenter of the quake was just north of Flores island, and the hardest-hit area was Nagekeo, located about 200km east of Ruteng.

Approximately 2,000 residents evacuated the region as authorities initially issued a tsunami warning, which was later lifted. Many people remained outside overnight due to aftershocks that threatened to collapse compromised buildings. Tensianus Sambang, a 31-year-old barber, visited his mother, who was being treated for a ruptured blood vessel in her brain, when the earthquake hit.

The walls were collapsing, debris was falling, and objects scattered across the floor. Tensianus expressed his worry about aftershocks and the need for medical aid for his mother and other patients who had to sleep outside. Tonsianus also appealed to the government for medical supplies and assistance. Yoktafiana Sinar, a restaurant worker, also suffered injuries when the house collapsed on her, breaking her leg while saving her grandchild.

Emergency officials reported that nearly 160 houses, dozens of educational and healthcare facilities, and other public buildings were damaged in the earthquake. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and the European Union provided aid, with 50,000 aid packages weighing 275 tonnes delivered to the area.