Thousands evacuate after Indonesia quake kills 51, cuts roads

Eight thousand military and police personnel were mobilized to East Nusa Tenggara province in Indonesia following a magnitude-7.7 earthquake that killed at least 53 people, blocked roads and triggered landslides. Over 130 people suffered injuries, many with broken bones. The quake, the deadliest in the Southeast Asian nation since 2022, prompted more than 3,300 residents to evacuate or take shelter in a sports arena.

In Maumere, residents were stranded outside collapsed homes under makeshift tent structures while others received medical treatment in a tent outside a hospital. Over a thousand aftershocks were recorded following the disaster. The region, located on the Pacific Ring of Fire, is prone to frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.

The government declared an emergency in the province to mobilize resources and funding for relief efforts.