NTT earthquake death toll rises to 83 as aftershocks hamper recovery
Wijayanto, director of BMKG’s Earthquake and Tsunami Center, said that the agency had recorded 4,258 aftershocks in the region as of Friday morning, with 31 having a magnitude of 5.0 or higher.
The death toll in East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) from last week's earthquake has increased to 83, as aftershocks continue to cause additional devastation and impede recovery efforts. On Friday morning, the BMKG's Earthquake and Tsunami Center reported 4,258 aftershocks in the region, with 31 reaching a magnitude of 5.0 or higher. A magnitude 5.2 earthquake struck the province at around 2 a.m. on Friday, exacerbating the already dire situation.
Following two magnitude 5.8 aftershocks at 6:45 a.m. and 10:46 a.m. on Thursday, further damage to weakened structures and bridges, as well as landslides, were reported. A 56-year-old man in Ruteng, Manggarai Regency, died after a heart attack reportedly induced by panic during Thursday's seismic event. Seismic activity remains high in NTT, nearly a week after a magnitude 7.7 earthquake on August 15, according to Indonesia's Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysical Agency (BMKG).
BMKG's Wijayanto stated that aftershock activity remained relatively high during the first few days following the main earthquake, with no clear signs of a lasting decrease. Authorities anticipate that the sequence of aftershocks will persist for the next three to four weeks.
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