Search for Indonesia earthquake victims underway

Rescuers in eastern Indonesia are searching through collapsed buildings for victims of a deadly earthquake that killed at least 53 people. The disaster in East Nusa Tenggara was the country's deadliest since a 2022 quake in West Java. The region, already reeling from the impact of fresh tremors, is also celebrating Independence Day.

Landslides and blocked roads have resulted in thousands of evacuations, with many people sheltering in outdoor tents. Over 1,600 aftershocks have been reported in the province. One 64-year-old farmer, Firmus Woge, was being treated for his asthma, which was aggravated by the panic of the aftershocks. The search for missing individuals will focus on aerial monitoring and the use of an extrication device and a helicopter.

No reports of people missing have been made so far. Authorities have prepared planes to deliver aid such as food and tents. The earthquake damaged around 500 homes, and the Indonesian government plans to build emergency field hospitals in several areas to treat head trauma and broken bones. President Prabowo Subianto, in Jakarta, is expected to preside over celebrations marking Indonesia's independence from Japanese rule in 1945, while residents who fled their homes in fear of tsunamis are focusing on the safety of their families.