It has been reported that the death toll in the 7.7 magnitude earthquake that occurred in eastern Indonesia on August 15 has risen to 71.
Berton Panjaitan, Acting Head of the Disaster Data, Information and Communication Center of the Indonesian National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB), shared the latest information about the earthquake affecting Flores Island and its surroundings during an online press conference. Panjaitan stated that with one more person losing their life in the Nagekeo region, the total death toll has risen to 71, and he expressed condolences to the families of those who lost their lives.
Panjaitan reported that 59,647 people have been displaced due to the earthquake, with the most evacuations occurring in the Manggarai region. He stated, "Our priority is to meet the needs of the evacuated citizens who do not want to return to their damaged homes due to fear of aftershocks. Our efforts continue to meet the basic needs of our people, such as food, clean water, tents, beds, blankets, and hygiene equipment."
Emphasizing that the aid operations initiated after the earthquake are ongoing, Panjaitan reported that the total amount of humanitarian aid delivered to the region has reached 398 tons. The official highlighted the challenging geographical conditions, stating that road transportation is the main route of delivery, but aid shipments to coastal areas in need of logistical support are also continuing gradually by sea and air.
