Indonesia’s National Agency for Disaster Countermeasures (BNPB) reported that the number of people displaced by the magnitude 7.7 earthquake in East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) dropped by 4,142 as aftershocks began to ease. According to acting head of the BNPB’s center for disaster data, information, and communication Berton SP Panjaitan, 188,161 residents remained at evacuation centers as of August 30 at 7 a.m. Jakarta time.
Evacuee Distribution Across NTT Districts
High concentrations of evacuees remain distributed across multiple districts within the affected province. Manggarai and Nagekeo districts house the largest numbers of displaced residents, recording 50,556 and 50,574 people respectively, according to BNPB data. Additional large populations of evacuees stay in East Manggarai, West Manggarai, Ngada, Sikka, and Ende.
The earthquake struck initially on August 15, leaving a heavy toll on local infrastructure and communities. BNPB records show the provincial death toll reached 111 people, while total injuries climbed, including 223 people suffering heavy injuries and numerous others sustaining light injuries.
Housing Damage and Reconstruction Needs
Property destruction across the region remains widespread following the mainshock and subsequent tremors. BNPB figures show total damaged homes reached 95,567 units across the province. This total breaks down into numerous lightly damaged homes, moderately damaged homes, and 27,414 heavily damaged homes.
Berton SP Panjaitan stated during a press briefing in Jakarta that providing temporary housing or permanent relocation is an urgent necessity for the 27,414 families whose houses sustained heavy damage. BNPB noted that Prabowo Subianto instructed authorities to coordinate housing construction for NTT evacuees while awaiting BMKG.
Aftershock Activity Decreases
Seismic activity in the region is showing clear signs of stabilization. BNPB recorded 9,765 total aftershocks through August 30, with magnitudes ranging from a low of 1.0 up to a high of 6.2. Out of that total, residents physically felt 155 of the aftershocks.
While the overall sequence of aftershocks has started showing a downward pattern, disaster officials note that minor tremors will likely continue for another three to four weeks from the date of the initial earthquake.
Worth a look