At least 38 people were killed after a 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck Indonesia's East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) province on Saturday, according to the head of the country's National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB).
Suharyanto said at a news conference that 13 people suffered injuries in the quake, with two in a serious condition, while around 2,000 people have fled affected areas. One hospital, located in Maumere, the capital of Sikka regency, was damaged along with other buildings and roads. Although five airfields were impacted, the BNPB chief did not specify the extent of the damage or the names of the airfields. It is not believed the runways were damaged.
The 38 people died in four regencies on Flores Island — Sikka, Manggarai, East Manggarai and West Manggarai. Flores Island is the hardest hit island in East Nusa Tenggara province. No serious damage has been reported on other islands.
The earthquake's epicenter was at sea, about 30 kilometers northeast of central Flores, at a depth of 15 kilometers.
The earthquake was also felt in the eastern part of West Nusa Tenggara province and on small islands in South Sulawesi province, forcing people to leave their homes, according to television reports.
