Fear grips children after deadly earthquake in eastern Indonesia leaves thousands displaced

Fear grips children after deadly earthquake in eastern Indonesia leaves thousands displaced 0 seconds of 58 secondsVolume 0% Press shift question mark to access a list of keyboard shortcuts Keyboard ShortcutsEnabledDisabled Shortcuts Open/Close/ or ? 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More Videos 0 seconds of 40 secondsVolume 90% Press shift question mark to access a list of keyboard shortcuts Keyboard ShortcutsEnabledDisabled Shortcuts Open/Close/ or ? Play/PauseSPACE Increase Volume↑ Decrease Volume↓ Seek Forward→ Seek Backward← Captions On/Offc Fullscreen/Exit Fullscreenf Mute/Unmutem Decrease Caption Size- Increase Caption Size+ or = Seek %0-9 Next Up Long-awaited trial begins in rapper Tupac Shakur's 1996 killing in Las Vegas 00:31 Auto1080p1080p720p540p360p270p180p 00:00 00:40 00:40 More Videos Close 2 of 7 | Medical evacuations via helicopter were underway in East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia as thousands await aid. (AP video by Dicky Bisinglasi) 3 of 7 | earthquake survivors stand outside their tent erected near a damaged church in Satar Punda, East Nusa Tenggara province, Indonesia, Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Firdia Lisnawati) 4 of 7 | Rescuers evacuate a person injured in an earthquake in North Lamba Leda, East Nusa Tenggara province, Indonesia, Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Firdia Lisnawati) 5 of 7 | A man walks past an earthquake-damaged school in Satar Punda, East Nusa Tenggara province, Indonesia, Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Firdia Lisnawati) 6 of 7 | Rubble is seen at the entrance of an earthquake-damaged church in Satar Punda, East Nusa Tenggara province, Indonesia, Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Firdia Lisnawati) 7 of 7 | A man walks past a mosque collapsed during an earthquake in Lamba Leda, East Nusa Tenggara province, Indonesia, Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Firdia Lisnawati) By Firdia Lisnawati Updated 7:23 AM MESZ, August 18, 2026 Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Share Share Facebook Copy Link copied Print Email X LinkedIn Bluesky Flipboard Pinterest Reddit LAMBA LEDA, Indonesia (AP) — Thousands of people remained displaced on the Indonesian island of Flores on Tuesday, three days after a powerful earthquake killed at least 68 people, injured more than 200 others and damaged thousands of homes. The disaster left many children struggling with fear and trauma. More than 19,000 people were sheltering in tents, evacuation centers and makeshift camps after the earthquake struck off Flores early Saturday, damaging at least 4,500 homes, according to the National Disaster Management Agency. The quake injured at least 213 people and caused widespread destruction across the island, damaging 122 health facilities, 252 schools and 84 places of worship, the agency said. The quake occurred at a depth of 10 kilometers (6 miles) shortly before 6 a.m. Saturday, according to the U.S. Geological Survey, and residents fled in panic as tsunami warnings were issued but later lifted. Authorities have since recorded more than 2,100 aftershocks into Tuesday, though only 70 were felt by residents. The AP is committed to delivering independent news coverage from all corners of the globe. By creating a free account, you help us understand our readers and strengthen our journalism. Create a free account Sign in to existing account How we use your information Help with registration Continue without registering An aftershock that struck during an interview Tuesday prompted Vincentius Rano and his wife to instinctively duck and cover their heads. Nearby, their daughter began crying, a reminder of the fear that continues to haunt many survivors. Rano is a resident of Lamba Leda, one of the hardest-hit villages in the lush hills of East Manggarai regency, where widespread damage was reported, with at least 50 homes shattered and trees toppled over. He recalled the terrifying moment the earthquake struck Saturday just after he and his wife had woken up. Thousands in Indonesia await aid after quake kills 68, overshadowing Independence Day 5 MIN READ Rescuers in Indonesia recover 6 more bodies in earthquake aftermath, raising death toll to 53 5 MIN READ Magnitude 7.7 earthquake strikes off Indonesia’s coast, killing at least 47 and toppling buildings 5 MIN READ “Suddenly, we felt a tremor that kept getting stronger,” said Rano, the father of a 5-year-old girl. The couple rushed to grab their sleeping daughter, but before they could escape, part of the house came down, causing injuries to his back and shoulder. “We didn’t have time to get outside. Everything happened so fast. The roof collapsed on us, and all I could do was shield my wife and child with my back,” Rano said, gesturing toward his flattened home, a modest house, built of timber rather than concrete. At evacuation camps across Flores, children played under tarpaulin shelters while aid workers and volunteers provided psychosocial support alongside food and medical assistance. “For many survivors, especially children, the psychological impact has lingered long after the shaking stopped,” said local police chief Yudhi Franata, who organized trauma-healing sessions for children displaced by the disaster in Ende regency. In Ende’s village of Lokoboko, 17 children joined police counselors for games, educational activities and group interactions designed to help them cope with fear and anxiety. Parents at evacuation centers in the village said many children were afraid to return indoors and woke up frightened whenever aftershocks rattled the island. “Children are among the groups that need special attention after experiencing a disaster,” Franata said. Indonesia, an archipelago of more than 17,000 islands, is prone to earthquakes and volcanic eruptions because of its location on the Pacific Ring of Fire. Flores experienced one of the country’s deadliest disasters in 1992, when an earthquake and an ensuing tsunami killed about 2,500 people.