A magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck off Flores Island in eastern Indonesia at 5:58am local time on Saturday, killing at least 51 people and forcing about 5,000 to evacuate, according to Al Jazeera [1]. The US Geological Survey placed the epicenter about 68km (42 miles) north-northwest of the city of Ende, in East Nusa Tenggara province, and put the depth at 10km (6.2 miles) [1].
The human toll was still being counted a day after the shaking. Deputy Health Minister Benjamin Paulus Octavianus told a televised meeting on Sunday that 36 people were seriously injured and 77 more suffered minor injuries [1]. The quake, one of Indonesia's deadliest in years, was followed by some 341 aftershocks [1]. A tsunami warning issued immediately after the earthquake has since been lifted [1].
The relief that is in place is substantial on paper. Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya said more than 3,500 military and police personnel have been deployed overall, and officials said three helicopters and a rescue vessel had been sent to support the emergency response [1]. More than 3,300 people in Sikka regency, one of the hard-hit areas, either fled their homes or were left stranded [1].
What is not yet in place is reliable access to every affected community. Landslides have blocked road access to some of the hardest-hit areas, which slows the reach of that declared force and keeps the picture of casualties incomplete [1]. The gap between the number of personnel assigned and the number of people they can physically reach is where the next hours of this response will be decided.
