Death Toll Jumps to 38 as Powerful 7.7 Magnitude Quake Batters Eastern Region

This article was updated on Saturday, August 15, 2026, at 4:15 PM WIB to reflect the revised official death toll of 38 fatalities and report structural damage across regional hospitals and healthcare clinics.

JAKARTA, Investortrust.id — The death toll from a massive magnitude 7.7 undersea earthquake that struck East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) on Saturday morning has surged to surged dramatically on Saturday afternoon, reaching at least 38 fatalities across the island of Flores as emergency teams uncovered more casualties from collapsed structures.

National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) Head Lt. Gen. Suharyanto confirmed the revised casualties during a press briefing in Jakarta, reporting that two individuals remain severely injured and 11 others suffered minor injuries.

"As of 3:00 PM WIB, records show 38 people have died, with two individuals severely injured and 11 suffering minor injuries," Suharyanto said on Saturday afternoon.

Approximately 2,000 residents remain displaced across emergency shelters and higher ground following initial tsunami alerts and persistent aftershocks.

Infrastructure Damage Mounts as Rescuers Comb Through Rubble

Suharyanto noted that critical transportation corridors have been cut off by landslides, with detailed infrastructure assessments currently underway by the Ministry of Public Works. Severe structural damage has also compromised healthcare networks across the region.

"Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin confirmed that numerous local community health clinics (Puskesmas) have sustained damage, alongside one major hospital facility in Maumere," Suharyanto added.

The disaster management agency confirmed the updated casualty count by mid-day Saturday as search and rescue teams penetrated hard-hit remote districts across Manggarai, East Manggarai, and Sikka regencies.

The seismic event struck at 04:58 WIB (05:58 local time) roughly 23.6 miles (38 kilometers) northeast of Mbay in Nagekeo Regency at a depth of 9.3 miles (15 kilometers), according to data from the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG).

Widespread Infrastructure Destruction

Structural assessments show widespread devastation across northern Flores, with 54 homes completely destroyed or heavily damaged, alongside nine moderately damaged and 11 lightly damaged residences. Critical public infrastructure also sustained severe damage, including five community health facilities, one school, three places of worship, six government administrative offices, and a state logistics warehouse (Bulog).

Manggarai Regency bore the brunt of structural collapses, logging 29 heavily damaged homes and multiple compromised health clinics, while neighboring East Manggarai reported 23 demolished homes. In Nagekeo Regency, near the epicenter, regional authorities reported widespread power blackouts, severe road traffic snarls, and structural cracks across five civic buildings.

Emergency disaster relief authorities have mobilized urgent supplies to the worst-hit areas in Manggarai, dispatching 30 tons of rice, emergency refugee tents, 1,000 camp beds, water storage tanks, power generators, and emergency medical kits.

Executive Branch Deploys Air Support and Cross-Agency Relief

Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka expressed profound condolences to affected families on Saturday, pledging that the administration is deploying all available resources to expedite emergency relief, search-and-rescue operations, and aid distribution across East Nusa Tenggara.

"The government will make maximum efforts to ensure emergency response, evacuation, disaster impact assessment, and aid distribution for affected communities are carried out swiftly and in a coordinated manner," Gibran stated in an official release on Saturday morning.

Following a direct situation briefing to President Prabowo Subianto, State Minister of State Secretariat Prasetyo Hadi confirmed that the central government has mobilized a unified emergency response involving Coordinating Minister for Human Development Pratikno, NTT Governor Emanuel Melkiades Laka Lena, the military, and the national police.

"The utmost priority is rapid rescue operations so that any victims receive immediate treatment, while simultaneously arranging shelter solutions for displaced residents whose homes are no longer habitable," Hadi told reporters at the Presidential Palace complex in Jakarta on Saturday afternoon.

To navigate the challenging archipelagic terrain of Flores, the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) has deployed an emergency relief helicopter alongside ground rapid-response units. The aircraft will facilitate critical supply drops, emergency logistics distribution, and potential aerial medical evacuations across isolated and mountainous districts.