Thousands in Indonesia await aid after quake kills 68, overshadowing Independence Day

REO, Indonesia - Thousands of individuals on the Indonesian island of Flores are still awaiting aid as the nation commemorated its 81st Independence Day on Monday, following a devastating earthquake that claimed at least 68 lives, injured over 200 more, and caused extensive damage to homes and buildings. Residents on Flores island in East Nusa Tenggara province spent the day mourning the victims and eagerly anticipating the arrival of relief supplies to communities still isolated by the deadly tremor.

At Indonesia’s Independence Day ceremony in the capital, Jakarta, President Prabowo Subianto called upon participants to pray for those affected by disasters in East Nusa Tenggara and other regions of the country, while leading a moment of silence in remembrance of the nation's independence heroes. The earthquake struck East Nusa Tenggara province on Saturday, resulting in the damage of more than 1,300 homes, with nearly 250 of them destroyed on Flores island alone.

Approximately 5,000 people were forced to seek refuge in temporary shelters, and 213 individuals sustained injuries, as reported by the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB). The governor of the affected province declared a 14-day emergency.