Indonesia Quake Disrupts Schooling for 8,000 Children as Death Toll Reaches 68

3 articles · Updated · Vatican News - English · Aug 18

More than 8,000 children and adolescents in East Nusa Tenggara cannot attend school after the Aug. 15 magnitude 7.7 quake, with Save the Children warning of rising safety risks.
At least 87 schools, 18 health centers and more than 900 homes were damaged by the quake and aftershocks, which have also forced nearly 13,000 people from their homes.
The broader disaster toll has climbed to 68 dead and 213 injured, while rescuers continue working in landslide-hit areas cut off from outside access; a separate magnitude 6.1 quake struck off Sumatra on Aug. 18.
Aid groups are shifting from rescue to longer-term support, with Save the Children assessing family needs and Caritas Indonesia mobilizing church networks for water, food, shelter, healthcare and child protection.
The quake hit communities already strained by El Niño-linked drought and volcanic risks around Mount Lewotobi, deepening threats to children's health, education and psychosocial well-being.