The disaster left many children struggling with fear and trauma.
More than 19,000 people were sheltering in tents, evacuation centres and makeshift camps after the earthquake struck off Flores early on Saturday, damaging at least 4500 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 10km shortly before 6am on Saturday, according to the US Geological Survey, and residents fled in panic as tsunami warnings were issued but later lifted.
Authorities have since recorded more than 2100 aftershocks into Tuesday, though only 70 were felt by residents.
An aftershock that struck during an interview on 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 just after he and his wife had woken up.
"Suddenly, we felt a tremor that kept getting stronger," said Rano, the father of a five-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.
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 organised trauma-healing sessions for children displaced by the disaster in Ende regency.
In Ende's village of Lokoboko, 17 children joined police counsellors for games, educational activities and group interactions designed to help them cope with fear and anxiety.
Parents at evacuation centres 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.
