Emergency Surgery Continues as Hospital Shakes and Power Fails
An Indonesian mother has described her gratitude after surviving an emergency delivery during the powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake that struck East Nusa Tenggara.
Maria Florida Nogo Kelen, 39, was undergoing urgent surgery while the earthquake and repeated aftershocks shook the region.
The disaster damaged homes, hospitals, roads and bridges across eastern Indonesia.
Maria lives in Nagekeo, an area close to the earthquake’s epicentre.
She was already facing a complicated pregnancy when doctors decided that her baby had to be delivered immediately.
The birth took place about two months earlier than expected.
Doctors warned that delaying the procedure could have placed both the mother and child at serious risk.
Maria said she tried to remain calm despite the violent shaking around her.
She said her main concern was staying alive and healthy for her children.
The medical team continued the operation even as electricity repeatedly failed inside the hospital.
Doctors were forced to use flashlights during parts of the surgery.
The hospital building continued shaking as aftershocks followed the main earthquake.
Maria’s obstetrician, Yona Sara Pardede, said the medical team had little choice but to proceed.
Doctors feared Maria could suffer a potentially fatal seizure if the emergency birth was delayed.
Baby Gempita Born Prematurely at Just 1.3 Kilograms
The operation became even more difficult because the baby was extremely small.
Maria eventually gave birth safely to her fourth child.
Her daughter was named Gempita, inspired by the Indonesian word “gempa,” meaning earthquake.
The baby weighed only 1.3 kilograms, or about 2.87 pounds, at birth.
Despite being born prematurely during a major natural disaster, doctors said Gempita remained stable.
Because the hospital building had been damaged and aftershocks continued, the newborn was placed inside an incubator in a temporary medical tent outdoors.
The incubator stood on a patch of grass as medical teams continued treating patients outside damaged healthcare facilities.
Maria also suffered a haemorrhage after giving birth.
She survived and later expressed deep gratitude to the doctors who continued caring for her despite dangerous conditions.
She said medical workers remained with patients even when parts of the hospital were badly damaged.
Indonesia Quake Death Toll Reaches 68 as Rescue Operations Continue
The 7.7-magnitude earthquake has become Indonesia’s deadliest earthquake disaster since 2022.
An official from Indonesia’s disaster mitigation agency said on Monday that at least 68 people had been killed.
Hundreds of homes and medical facilities have also been damaged.
Healthcare workers in several affected areas have moved patients outdoors because hospital buildings are considered unsafe.
Temporary tents are being used for treatment as authorities assess structural damage.
Rescue teams continued searching affected communities on Monday for people who may still be trapped beneath collapsed buildings and debris.
Emergency supplies are also being transported by aircraft to areas that are difficult to reach by road.
Thousands of residents remain in evacuation centres and temporary shelters.
Many survivors have said they urgently need clean drinking water, food and other essential supplies.
Fear of further aftershocks has prevented many families from returning to their homes.
For Maria and her newborn daughter, the earthquake has created an extraordinary story of survival amid widespread destruction.
Despite the emergency surgery, power failures, continuing tremors and post-delivery complications, both mother and child survived.
Maria said she remained deeply thankful to the doctors who refused to abandon their patients during the disaster.
