While rescue operations for people buried under the rubble after the violent 7.7 magnitude earthquake are still underway in Indonesia, the Farnesina continues to provide information to compatriots present in the areas affected by the earthquake through the Crisis Unit and the Italian embassy in Jakarta.
The note from the Farnesina
“In the country – we read in a note published on the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs – there are over 2,000 Italian citizens registered with the Aire and around 6 thousand non-resident compatriots registered on ‘Where we are in the world’. On the island of Flores there are around 700 non-resident compatriots registered on ‘Where we are in the world'”. The main airports in the area are operational. The high demand for flights from international tourists and the local population is resulting in limited availability of seats on air connections departing from the area.
“The Farnesina – continues the note – invites compatriots present in the area to keep in contact with the Embassy and to register their presence on the systems of the Crisis Unit. In case of need, it is possible to contact the Italian Embassy in Jakarta on the number +62 8151811344 or the Crisis Unit of the Farnesina on the number +39 06 36225 or by email to [email protected]”. The Italian embassy in Jakarta has also activated a new emergency number: +62 8139964395.
Over 50 dead and 5 thousand displaced
Meanwhile, the latest updated toll speaks of 51 confirmed victims and over 5 thousand displaced people. The magnitude 7.7 earthquake occurred at 5.58 local time yesterday, with its epicenter approximately 68 km north-northwest of the city of Ende, on the island of Flores, in the province of East Nusa Tenggara, according to the US geological survey, which estimated the depth at 10 km.
The earthquake, followed by about 341 aftershocks, is one of the deadliest Indonesia has seen in recent years. Overall, 36 people were seriously injured and 77 others suffered minor injuries, Deputy Health Minister Benjamin Paulus Octavianus said during a televised news conference.
According to Indonesia’s disaster management agency, BNPB, more than 3,300 people in Sikka administration, one of the worst-hit areas, have fled their homes or remained stranded, taking refuge in a sports hall. In the port city of Maumere, some residents camped outside collapsed houses, taking shelter under tarpaulins, while others received treatment in a makeshift tent set up outside a local hospital.
Collapses and damaged roads
Lieutenant General Suharyanto, head of the BNPB, said the earthquake destroyed at least 157 houses and damaged almost 200 others, forcing around 2,000 inhabitants of the village of Nagekeo, the area closest to the epicentre, to take refuge in temporary structures. He added that three helicopters and a rescue vessel have been deployed to support emergency operations in a region where the sparse geography of small islands makes access difficult.
East Nusa Tenggara police chief Rudi Darmoko said the disaster had caused severe damage and building collapses across the province. Rescue teams have not yet managed to fully reach Nagekeo, where landslides have blocked roads and cut communications, said Fathur Rahman, head of the local search and rescue agency in Maumere, adding that a team is trying to reach the area via ferry. Overall, more than 3,500 military and police officers have been deployed, Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya said. More than 1,300 homes were damaged and 20 petrol stations remain closed due to power outages, according to state energy company Pertamina.