Rescuers Reach 2-Day-Isolated Nitung Village After 7.7 Quake Cuts Off Aid
Updated
Updated · BBC.com · Aug 17
Rescuers Reach 2-Day-Isolated Nitung Village After 7.7 Quake Cuts Off Aid
3 articles · Updated · BBC.com · Aug 17
Summary
Nitung Village on Palue Island was reached late Sunday after nearly two days of isolation, with rescuers crossing a landslide-prone route to a community where hundreds of homes were severely damaged.
53 people have been confirmed dead and about 5,000 displaced since Saturday's 7.7-magnitude quake, while hundreds of aftershocks, road closures and blackouts have slowed relief across Flores.
1,000-plus houses and dozens of hospitals, schools and government offices were damaged, forcing patients into tent clinics after facilities including Ruteng Regional General Hospital lost key services.
Food, clean water and medical aid remain scarce in several cut-off areas, with residents sleeping outdoors or fleeing to higher ground as officials still work to uncover the full scale of the disaster.