An extraordinary rescue has emerged from the devastation left by a powerful earthquake in eastern Indonesia, after an 84-year-old woman was found alive beneath the ruins of her home three days after the disaster. Paulina Pobi, who lived in Nitunglea village on Flores, was trapped beneath the collapsed bamboo walls of her house after the 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck on 15 August. A landslide had blocked access to the village, making it difficult for rescue teams to reach the area. Pobi was unable to move or call for help, but her family eventually discovered her alive beneath the rubble on the fourth day. She was taken to the nearest health centre after being safely evacuated. Local official Rudolfus Riba told The Guardian, she had suffered no injuries but was weak because she had gone without food or water for several days. He described the discovery as feeling “unreal, almost like a miracle”.
Who is the 84-year-old woman who survived three days beneath earthquake rubble
The rescue of Paulina Pobi came as emergency teams continued searching through communities devastated by the earthquake that struck off Indonesia’s Flores island. The tremor caused widespread destruction across parts of eastern Indonesia, collapsing homes and other structures while landslides blocked roads and isolated villages. Pobi was inside her bamboo home in Nitunglea village when the earthquake struck. The structure collapsed around her, leaving the elderly woman trapped beneath the debris. Her situation was particularly difficult because she was paralysed and could neither move herself to safety nor call out for assistance. A landslide triggered by the earthquake also blocked access to the village, delaying efforts to reach residents who might have been trapped. For three days, Pobi remained beneath the remains of her home before her family eventually located her alive. Speaking to AOL, Sikka regency police official Bambang Supeno said Pobi had been safely evacuated and taken to the nearest health centre. Local official Rudolfus Riba, also said she had no injuries but was weakened by several days without food or water. The discovery offered a rare moment of hope amid an otherwise devastating rescue operation, demonstrating why search teams continued looking through collapsed structures even days after the earthquake.
Rescue efforts were slowed by landslides and damaged roads (Image: Tonny Rarung)
Rescue efforts were slowed by landslides and damaged roads
Finding Pobi was particularly remarkable because rescuers were working against difficult terrain and damaged infrastructure. The earthquake triggered landslides across affected areas, blocking roads and making it difficult for emergency teams and supplies to reach isolated communities. The disaster struck a region where mountainous terrain already makes transportation challenging. After the earthquake, damaged roads and debris created additional obstacles, slowing the movement of rescue teams, food, water and medical supplies. Indonesia’s disaster mitigation agency said 398 tonnes of aid, including food, tents, refugee shelters and public donations, had been transported to affected communities. However, distributing those supplies remained difficult because of Flores’ mountainous landscape and damaged roads. The government expanded the use of military aircraft, ships and personnel to help reach communities that remained difficult to access. The rescue of Pobi therefore came against a wider backdrop of continuing emergency operations. Search teams were still digging through rubble for possible victims while aid workers worked to establish shelter and medical support for people displaced by the earthquake. The disaster had also produced thousands of aftershocks. More than 3,000 aftershocks had been recorded by the time of The Guardian’s report, with at least 86 strong enough to be felt by residents. The continuing tremors added another danger for rescuers and survivors, many of whom were afraid to return to damaged homes.
Flores earthquake leaves tens of thousands displaced as aftershocks continue
Pobi’s survival came as the full scale of the earthquake’s destruction continued to emerge. The 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck off Flores on Saturday morning, killing at least 73 people, injuring more than 900 and displacing nearly 60,000, according to the figures reported as of 20th August. For people who survived the initial earthquake, the emergency did not end when the shaking stopped. Repeated aftershocks continued to frighten communities, while damaged buildings, blocked roads and shortages of essential supplies complicated the recovery effort. Regional police chief Inspector General Rudi Darmoko said displaced communities were dealing with both physical injuries and psychological distress. Speaking in the aftermath of the disaster, he emphasised that the emotional impact should not be overlooked, particularly among children. Indonesia’s exposure to earthquakes is closely linked to its location along the Pacific Ring of Fire, a zone where several tectonic plates meet and seismic and volcanic activity is frequent.Flores and surrounding parts of the country have experienced destructive earthquakes before, including the devastating 1992 Flores earthquake and tsunami. Against that backdrop, the survival of an 84-year-old woman beneath the rubble for three days has become an extraordinary story of hope. Pobi’s rescue does not diminish the scale of the tragedy, but it demonstrates why emergency crews continue searching damaged structures even when the chances of finding survivors appear to be diminishing. As recovery efforts continue, the focus remains on reaching isolated communities, providing shelter and medical care, and searching for anyone who may still be trapped. For Pobi’s family, however, the operation produced an outcome that few could have expected after three days beneath a collapsed home: an elderly woman was found alive and brought out of the rubble.