Indonesia: East Nusa Tenggara declares 14-day emergency following 7.7 magnitude earthquake

Kuala Lumpur, Aug 16 (KUNA) -- The governor of Indonesia’s East Nusa Tenggara province, Melky Laka Lena, announced on Sunday a 14-day emergency response status to accelerate the handling of the aftermath of a 7.7-magnitude earthquake that struck the region. The death toll had reached 51 as of Sunday morning.

In a press statement, Lena said the emergency status came into effect under Decision No. 305 of 2026 concerning the emergency response to the earthquake disaster in the province, noting that it “aims to accelerate the handling of the disaster’s aftermath and facilitate communication and coordination among concerned parties.”

He emphasized that “the safety of the population and meeting the basic needs of those affected are the top priorities during the emergency response period,” adding that all available resources would be directed toward searching for and evacuating victims, providing shelters, repairing infrastructure, and addressing other disaster-related impacts.

The earthquake struck East Nusa Tenggara on Saturday, followed by dozens of aftershocks that triggered tsunami waves in several areas and caused damage to various facilities.

Indonesia, with a population of around 290 million, lies on the so-called Pacific Ring of Fire, a highly seismically active zone where several tectonic plates converge, making the country prone to frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. (End) EAB/FDS