NTT Quake Evacuees Drop to 46,461 as Aftershocks Decline for Earthquakes Today
The number of displaced persons from the magnitude 7.7 earthquake in East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), Indonesia, on August 15 has declined sharply from over 150,000 to 46,461, while aftershocks have entered a decay phase with decreasing weekly frequency in earthquakes today. [3]
Decline in NTT Earthquake Displaced Persons
The National Disaster Mitigation Agency recorded a significant downward trend in the number of displaced persons following the earthquake in East Nusa Tenggara from over 150,000 people to 46,461. [3] BNPB's Acting Head for Disaster Data, Information, and Communication, Berton SP Panjaitan, informed during an online press conference on Tuesday that the number of displaced persons has dropped sharply. [3] He views this decline as a positive sign of the government's emergency response and post-disaster recovery efforts that are yielding tangible results. [3] The decline in evacuees is viewed as a positive sign of effective government emergency response and recovery efforts in NTT. [3]
Aftershock Trends and Decay Phase
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The Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency recorded 15,722 aftershocks ranging in magnitude from 0.9 to 6.2 during the 30 days following the magnitude 7.7 earthquake in Flores, NTT on August 15. [3] Based on the latest monitoring and analysis of seismic data, the agency noted that the frequency of daily and weekly aftershocks in NTT is declining and has entered a decay phase. [3] In the first week following the main shock, the BMKG recorded 5,011 aftershocks. [3] This figure dropped to 4,267 in the second week, 3,158 in the third week, and to 2,421 in the fourth week. [3] While from the fifth week through September 15, 2026, the BMKG recorded 864 aftershocks. [3] BNPB recorded 15,722 aftershocks ranging from magnitude 0.9 to 6.2 in the 30 days after the main shock, with weekly counts dropping from 5,011 in the first week to 2,421 in the fourth week and 864 from the fifth week through September 15. [3]
Housing Damage Assessment and Aid Distribution
Joint teams in the field are accelerating the validation process regarding infrastructure damage, particularly in residential areas. [3] BNPB is re-verifying data on 103,427 damaged housing units categorized as severe, moderate, or minor damage and is working with local governments, Dukcapil, and BPS to target repair assistance without overlaps. [3] The collaborative effort to gather detailed identity data involves the Population and Civil Registration Agency and Statistics Indonesia to prevent overlaps in the distribution of entitlements to residents. [3] BNPB is working closely with local governments to ensure housing repair assistance is properly targeted. [3] We are currently re-verifying the data on a total of 103,427 damaged housing units, which include cases of severe, moderate, and minor damage. [3]
Recent Earthquakes in Alaska and New Mexico
Several minor earthquakes were recorded by USGS in the United States, including a M4.0 event 120 km E of Chignik, Alaska at 17.8 km depth. [2] A M3.4 event 64 km WSW of Elfin Cove, Alaska at 0.1 km depth was also recorded. [4] A M2.5 event 56 km WNW of Anchor Point, Alaska at 100.4 km depth occurred as well. [1] In addition, a M2.5 event 51 km SSW of Whites City, New Mexico at 3.2 km depth was noted. [5] These reports from USGS contribute to the broader picture of earthquakes today across different regions. [2] [1] [4] [5]
Ongoing Monitoring and Recovery Efforts
Besides monitoring the movement of displaced persons, joint teams in the field are accelerating the validation process regarding infrastructure damage, particularly in residential areas. [3] The Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency recorded 15,722 aftershocks ranging in magnitude from 0.9 to 6.2 during the 30 days following the magnitude 7.7 earthquake in Flores, NTT on August 15. [3] BNPB is working closely with local governments to ensure housing repair assistance is properly targeted. [3] The collaborative effort to gather detailed identity data involves the Population and Civil Registration Agency and Statistics Indonesia to prevent overlaps in the distribution of entitlements to residents. [3] The decline in evacuees is viewed as a positive sign of effective government emergency response and recovery efforts in NTT. [3]
What to watch next: The frequency of daily and weekly aftershocks in NTT continues to decline as the sequence enters a decay phase, with BNPB teams re-verifying damage data alongside local governments, Dukcapil, and BPS.
