Rescuers combed through debris for survivors on Saturday after a powerful earthquake struck off Flores Island in East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), killing at least 47 people.
The National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) raised the death toll from 40 late Saturday. Fathur Rahman, head of the National Search and Rescue Agency’s (Basarnas) office in Maumere, NTT, said 50 people were injured in the 7.7-magnitude quake.
BNPB head Suharyanto said people were trapped in several buildings: “These will be the initial targets of the disaster response teams.”
Fathur told AFP the focus was on locating victims who may be buried under rubble, but rescue efforts have been complicated by landslides cutting off roads.
Nearly 160 houses, dozens of educational and health facilities and other public buildings were damaged when the earthquake struck, according to the BNPB.
