Flores residents recall panic after powerful quake

On a quiet morning, a powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck Flores Island in eastern Indonesia, causing widespread panic and chaos among residents. Melania Nius, 56, recounted how the quake shook her husband's hospital bedside in Ruteng, setting off a frantic search for safety. She described the bed nearly flipping over as furniture and objects scattered all around them.

With help from others, the family managed to evacuate, praying for their survival. The earthquake's epicenter was just north of Flores Island, and the hardest hit area was Nagekeo, about 200km east of Ruteng. Around 2,000 inhabitants evacuated, and an initial tsunami warning was later lifted. Many stayed outside overnight as aftershocks continued to shake the area, collapsing buildings and causing injuries.

Tonsianus Sambang, a 31-year-old barber, shared his harrowing experience of patients jumping out of windows and running outside as the quake struck. The hospital, Ruteng, was overwhelmed with patients, including Yoktafiana Sinar, who had her leg broken when her house collapsed. The government and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies rushed to provide aid and medical supplies to the affected area, with the EU offering further assistance through their Copernicus Earth observation satellites.