Indonesia earthquake leaves 40,000 people homeless

TOKYO, August 19. /TASS/. Around 40,000 people have been left homeless and nearly 12,000 homes damaged as a result of the magnitude 7.7 earthquake that struck Indonesia’s East Nusa Tenggara province on August 15, the Jakarta Globe reported, citing Indonesia’s National Disaster Mitigation Agency. According to the latest data, the death toll from the earthquake has reached 70, while 1,182 people were injured. The disaster affected 16,400 families across three provinces. In the affected areas, 11,925 homes, 663 educational institutions, 184 government buildings, 182 healthcare facilities, 173 religious sites, and dozens of other infrastructure facilities, including roads and bridges, were damaged. Rescue services continue to search for those reported missing. Power supplies in the disaster-affected areas have now been almost fully restored. Antara news agency, citing Cabinet Secretary of Indonesia Teddy Indra Wijaya, reported that the country’s authorities had sent a total of 253 metric tons of aid to residents of East Nusa Tenggara province affected by the earthquake. Food, ready-to-eat meals, water, medicines and medical equipment, tents, and other essential supplies for displaced people have been delivered to the region. The magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck off the coast of Flores Island in Indonesia’s East Nusa Tenggara province on August 15. The Russian Embassy in Indonesia expressed condolences over the loss of life and destruction in a post on its Telegram channel.