Inhabitants were preparing to sleep outside for a third night, afraid to go home as over 1,600 aftershocks.
Police officers look at a building of the North Sumatra's National Sports Committee of Indonesia (KONI) damaged following a severe 7.4-magnitude offshore quake in Manado, North Sulawesi on April 2, 2026.
Tonny Rarung / AFP
MBAY, Indonesia (AFP) — Thousands of people displaced by a powerful earthquake in eastern Indonesia awaited aid Monday as they camped out at schools, police stations and government offices.
The 7.7-magnitude quake early on Saturday killed 54 people and injured more than 100. Rescue officials have said there were no reports of people missing.
The number of people unable to return to their homes had risen to 12,800 by Monday morning, dispersed among several towns on Flores island, Berton Suar Pelita Panjaitan, spokesperson for Indonesia’s BNPB national disaster agency, told Agence France-Presse (AFP).
Many Flores inhabitants were preparing to sleep outside for a third night, afraid to go home as over 1,600 aftershocks rumbled through the area, according to the BMKG geological agency.
AFP saw several residents of the small town of Mbay, in Nagekeo regency nearest the epicenter, camped out in makeshift tents they had erected using tarpaulins and poles.
“Our houses are no longer liveable, because many have collapsed and are full of cracks, so we can’t go inside anymore,” Mbay resident Junaidin, 32, said outside a self-made tent that was sleeping about 30 people.
“We only go back home to get water, clothes, pillows, and then we... spend the nights here.”
Many Flores residents have traumatic memories of another 7.7-magnitude quake that hit the island in 1992, triggering a tsunami and killing about 2,500.
“We’re on our own here,” said Junaidin, who like many Indonesians has one name.
He expressed frustration with a perceived lag in the arrival of aid while the nation celebrated Independence Day with pomp and ceremony in the capital Jakarta.
“As for help from the government, there hasn’t been any — no tents, no medicine, no food, no drinking water, nothing,” Junaidin said.
“Please open your eyes, government. We are your people, we are part of you. So please look after us.”
‘We fled with nothing’
The Indonesian Air Force said it was bringing 13 tons of emergency aid in two Hercules planes and a Boeing.
It was also deploying helicopters to bring emergency supplies directly to survivors in isolated communities, the Antara state news agency quoted the commander of El Tari Air Base in Kupang as saying.
The aid included food, clothes, clean water and emergency medical equipment.
The military has deployed personnel to help with distribution in key hubs.
For locals, the provisions cannot come soon enough.
“We fled with nothing. Just the clothes on our backs. We’re victims; we’re going through a disaster,” said Mbay resident Siti Saudah Daso, a 31-year-old mother of three.
“They said they would give us something, but there’s no proof. So honestly, we’re a bit upset, disappointed.”
Rescuers were still combing the stricken area for victims, search and rescue official Fathur Rahman told AFP.
“We conduct land and air operations from helicopters. There haven’t been any reports on missing persons, but we are still scouring the area just to be sure.”
The epicentre of the shallow quake was located just off the north coast of Flores, geological authorities said.
