Church groups urged to back Flores relief as quake toll reaches 53

Labuan Bajo — The Christian Conference of Asia (CCA) has called on churches across the region to support relief and recovery in East Nusa Tenggara after a powerful magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck off Flores on Saturday, Aug. 15, killing at least 53 people, injuring scores and displacing thousands, according to church and disaster agency reports.

The regional ecumenical body issued its appeal on Aug. 18, urging Asian churches to accompany communities affected by the quake as search and rescue operations and early recovery efforts continued. The CCA said local church networks in Indonesia, including the Protestant Evangelical Church in Timor (GMIT), are working with the Communion of Churches in Indonesia (PGI) to mobilize relief assistance and coordinate emergency support across impacted regencies in East Nusa Tenggara.

According to the CCA, hundreds of people were injured and thousands displaced after the offshore quake and subsequent tsunami damaged homes and infrastructure on Flores Island and neighboring areas. The appeal noted that church and ecumenical networks are using existing congregational structures and partnerships to reach affected communities, including those in coastal and rural districts.

Access and aftershocks hamper rescue efforts

Indonesian authorities reported that the confirmed death toll reached 53 by Aug. 16–17, with fatalities spread across multiple regencies in East Nusa Tenggara. The national disaster management agency (BNPB) said victims were concentrated in Manggarai, East Manggarai, West Manggarai, Nagekeo, Sikka and Ende, reflecting the broad impact of the quake across northern Flores and surrounding districts.

Rescue teams have faced landslides, damaged roads and continuing aftershocks as they work to clear debris and reach communities near the epicenter. International and local media reported that thousands of residents spent nights outdoors or in temporary shelters due to fears of further tremors and structural damage.

Reports compiled by humanitarian agencies indicate that the hardest-hit areas include Manggarai, East Manggarai and Nagekeo regencies, where strong shaking and secondary hazards such as landslides and possible liquefaction damaged houses, public buildings and transport links. Church groups have been among the organizations providing food, basic supplies and pastoral support to displaced families in these districts.

Shallow offshore quake and tsunami warning

Indonesia’s Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysical Agency (BMKG) recorded the earthquake at magnitude 7.7, with a shallow focus at about 15 kilometers depth and an epicenter offshore, roughly 30 kilometers northeast of Mbay in Nagekeo Regency. The United States Geological Survey (USGS) placed the epicenter about 68 kilometers north-northwest of Ende at a depth of around 10 kilometers, underscoring the same general offshore Flores location.

The quake struck at about 05:58 WITA (local time) on Aug. 15, generating strong shaking across East Nusa Tenggara, West Nusa Tenggara and parts of southern Sulawesi. BMKG attributed the event to thrust faulting along the Flores Back-Arc Thrust system and issued a tsunami early warning within minutes of the main shock. Subsequent analysis by BMKG identified tsunami effects in several provinces, though the largest waves remained relatively limited in height compared with Indonesia’s most destructive past tsunamis.

By Aug. 18, BMKG and monitoring agencies had recorded thousands of aftershocks, including several moderate events above magnitude 6, and expected seismic activity to decay over the following weeks. Authorities and humanitarian organizations reported that ongoing tremors, damaged bridges and blocked mountain roads continued to complicate the delivery of emergency assistance and the work of search and rescue teams.

Churches urged to sustain relief and recovery

CCA General Secretary Rev. Jung Eun Grace Moon appealed to member churches, national councils and ecumenical partners to provide timely humanitarian aid and support longer-term rebuilding and psychosocial care for affected communities. She expressed condolences to families of the dead and solidarity with survivors, emergency workers and local churches responding on the ground.

CCA’s appeal highlighted the role of Indonesian churches and ecumenical bodies, including GMIT and PGI, in coordinating relief, advocating for vulnerable communities and contributing to reconstruction planning alongside government and humanitarian agencies. While early reports did not provide detailed figures on the volume of aid or the full reach of church-led assistance, the CCA urged ongoing support to ensure that isolated and rural communities receive sustained help as the focus shifts from immediate emergency response to recovery and rebuilding.

Key reported figures:[/strong]

• Earthquake magnitude: 7.7.
• Confirmed deaths: at least 53.
• Epicenter: offshore north of Flores, about 30 km northeast of Mbay (BMKG) and about 68 km north-northwest of Ende (USGS).
• Worst-affected regencies: Manggarai, East Manggarai, West Manggarai, Nagekeo, Sikka and Ende.

Sources

• LICAS News - Asian churches urged to back Flores earthquake relief, recovery
• BMKG - Jejak Tsunami Flores 15 Agustus 2026 di Manggarai
• ACT Alliance - Alert: Indonesia Earthquake August 2026
• Data Friendly Space - Indonesia Earthquake: Situation Overview
• Al Jazeera - Magnitude 7.7 quake hits Indonesia, killing at least 47
• Tempo (English) - Indonesia's NTT Earthquake Death Toll Reaches 53
• ABC7 News - Rescuers in Indonesia recover 6 more bodies, raising death toll to 53
• China Daily - 53 dead in Indonesia quake as rescue efforts continue