15日午前、インドネシア東部のフローレス島沖でマグニチュード(M)7.7の大きな地震が発生しました。国家災害対策庁によると、16日時点で死者は53人、負傷者は135人に達しました。救助隊が新たに6人の遺体を発見したため、死者が増えました。
On the morning of the 15th, a major magnitude 7.7 earthquake occurred off Flores Island in eastern Indonesia. According to the National Disaster Management Agency, as of the 16th the death toll had reached 53 and the number of injured stood at 135. The death toll rose after rescue teams recovered six more bodies.
地震の震源は島の北部から北東約30キロの地点で、深さは約10キロとみられています。当局は一時、津波警報を発令し、住民に避難を呼びかけました。震源付近では高さ約1.6メートルの津波が観測されましたが、大きな被害は確認されていません。
The epicenter was about 30 kilometers northeast of the northern part of the island, at a depth of around 10 kilometers. Authorities temporarily issued a tsunami warning and called on residents to evacuate. A tsunami of about 1.6 meters was observed near the epicenter, but no major damage from the tsunami has been confirmed.
被害が特に大きかったのはマンガライ県や東マンガライ県などです。土砂崩れが起きた集落もあり、道路が寸断されたため救助活動は難航しています。通信障害や停電も捜索の妨げになっています。住宅は1300戸以上が損傷し、大半が全壊しました。
Damage was particularly severe in areas such as Manggarai and East Manggarai regencies. Some villages were hit by landslides, and roads were cut off, making rescue operations difficult. Communication failures and power outages are also hindering the search. More than 1,300 homes were damaged, most of them completely destroyed.
教育施設93カ所、医療施設36カ所、行政庁舎38カ所にも被害が出ています。約5000人が避難所などに身を寄せ、余震を恐れて屋外で夜を過ごす人も多いです。当局はこれまでに995回の余震を記録しており、住民が感じたものだけでも46回に上ります。
Damage was also reported at 93 educational facilities, 36 medical facilities, and 38 government buildings. About 5,000 people are staying in shelters, and many spent the night outdoors for fear of aftershocks. Authorities have recorded 995 aftershocks so far, of which 46 were felt by residents.
フローレス島は、世界最大級のトカゲ「コモドドラゴン」が生息するコモド島への玄関口として知られ、日本人観光客も訪れる地域です。1992年にも同規模の地震と津波が発生し、約2500人が死亡した歴史があります。今回も死傷者がさらに増える恐れがあり、国際社会からの支援が求められています。
Flores Island is known as the gateway to Komodo Island, home to the world’s largest lizard, the Komodo dragon, and is also a region visited by Japanese tourists. In 1992, an earthquake and tsunami of similar scale occurred in the same area, killing about 2,500 people. There is concern that the number of dead and injured may rise further this time, and support from the international community is being sought.