Thousands of survivors remain displaced on Indonesia’s eastern island of Flores after a powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck early Saturday, leaving more than 50 people dead and forcing thousands of residents into temporary shelters.

The latest reports put the death toll at at least 68, with more than 200 people injured, while the number of displaced people has continued to rise as residents remain reluctant to return to damaged and unstable homes.

The earthquake triggered landslides, damaged roads and disrupted communications, making it difficult for rescue teams to reach some of the hardest-hit communities. More than 1,600 aftershocks have been recorded in East Nusa Tenggara, adding to the fear among survivors and complicating rescue operations.

Families in affected areas have faced shortages of food, clean water, medicine and electricity, while emergency authorities continue moving supplies into communities by land, air and sea.

Damaged medical facilities have also been forced to operate under difficult conditions. In some areas, patients have been treated in temporary tents outside hospitals as buildings remain unsafe following the repeated tremors.

Rescue teams continue to search collapsed structures and areas affected by landslides for possible survivors, while thousands of residents remain in evacuation centres or temporary shelters.

The disaster has revived memories of the 1992 Flores earthquake, another magnitude 7.7 event that caused catastrophic destruction and killed or left missing around 2,500 people.

Indonesia lies along the Pacific Ring of Fire, making it highly vulnerable to earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and tsunamis.

For survivors of the latest disaster, the immediate priorities remain finding those still missing, restoring essential services and providing food, water, shelter and medical assistance as aftershocks continue.