West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) Governor Lalu Muhamad Iqbal, together with\nBali Governor Wayan Koster, inspected the handling of victims of the 7.7\nmagnitude earthquake in East Nusa Tenggara (NTT). Iqbal and Koster\ntravelled to NTT as a gesture of regional solidarity among Bali, NTB,\nand NTT.<\/p>\n
The arrival of Iqbal and Koster was welcomed by NTT Governor Emanuel\nMelkiades Laka Lena at the Main Post for Handling the M 7.7 Earthquake\nat the Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) Operations Control\nCentre in West Manggarai on Thursday (20\/8\/2026).<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have experienced the same thing and deeply understand how it\nfeels to face a disaster like this. We are here to convey that our\nbrothers and sisters in NTT are not alone,\u201d said Iqbal at the\nlocation.<\/p>\n
Iqbal stressed that the relationship between Bali, NTB, and NTT is an\ninseparable bond of brotherhood. \u201cThe three of us are twin siblings.\nBali, NTB, and NTT. Therefore, we will give what we can to help,\u201d Iqbal\nasserted.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Koster said that he and Iqbal went to NTT as a form of\ndeep empathy among neighbouring regions. \u201cWe are brothers. If our\nbrother experiences a disaster, of course we share the feeling and are\npresent to provide support,\u201d said Koster.<\/p>\n
Melki appreciated the rapid support from Bali and NTB. Melki revealed\nthat the Minister of Home Affairs, Tito Karnavian, even praised the\nunity of these three provinces. \u201cMr Home Affairs Minister Tito Karnavian\ntold me that these three provinces are the most tangible and truly solid\nexample of cooperation,\u201d said Melki.<\/p>\n
After inspecting the post, Iqbal and Melki continued aerial\nmonitoring to East Manggarai using an Indonesian Army Bell 412 EP\nhelicopter. Meanwhile, Koster remained in West Manggarai to complete the\nmonitoring and support distribution agenda.<\/p>\n
NTB Provincial Government spokesperson Ahsanul Khalik said the NTB\nProvincial Government team had moved overland from Mataram to Sape Port\nin Bima before crossing to Labuan Bajo. They were dispatched in two\ngroups on Monday night due to limited ship capacity.<\/p>\n
\u201cDue to limited ship capacity, the crossing was carried out in two\nstages. The first group departed at around 9.00 pm local time, followed\nby the second group on Tuesday (18\/8\/2026),\u201d Ahsanul explained.<\/p>\n
Upon arrival in NTT, all personnel gathered at the West Manggarai\nPolice Headquarters for equipment checks and task distribution with the\nNTT Provincial Government team. As a result of the task distribution,\nthe NTB Provincial Government team was stationed in East Manggarai. They\nwill establish an emergency hospital and a public kitchen to serve\naffected residents.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe health team is the group that moved first towards the affected\nareas. Medical personnel were deployed to strengthen services at a\nnumber of hospitals and community health centres,\u201d Ahsanul\nexplained.<\/p>\n
In addition to medical services, the public kitchen team has moved\ntowards evacuation sites. Meanwhile, the logistics team distributed\ninitial aid at the West Manggarai Post before continuing the journey to\nEast Manggarai.<\/p>\n
The aid brought by the NTB Provincial Government consists of food\nsupplies, including 34 tonnes of rice, 689 boxes of instant noodles,\n1,275 boxes of mineral water, 100 boxes of cooking oil, 200 kilograms of\nsugar, 125 basic food packages, 32 food packages, 300 cans of sardines,\nas well as various types of biscuits, milk and supplementary food.<\/p>\n
They also brought evacuation supplies, including 380 tarpaulins,\n1,275 blankets, 320 mats, and 275 mattresses. The NTB Provincial\nGovernment also brought family tents, emergency kits, hygiene kits,\nfamily kits and various family necessities.<\/p>\n
Special attention was also given to women and babies. The aid\ndistributed includes packages for pregnant women, childbirth equipment,\nnewborn baby supplies, 3,120 sanitary pads, baby nappies and underwear\nfor women and children.<\/p>\n
The team also brought medicines and medical equipment, ranging from\ninjectable drugs, tablets and syrups, intravenous fluids, vitamins,\nantiseptics to wound care supplies.<\/p>\n
Ahsanul said the distribution of aid is coordinated through the NTT\nEarthquake Emergency Response Team under the coordination of BPBD NTT.\nThe scheme is designed so that aid matches needs on the ground and does\nnot pile up in one location.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis step is important so that aid is distributed according to\nneeds, on target, and to avoid accumulation or duplicate aid in certain\nlocations,\u201d Ahsanul explained.<\/p>\n
The delivery of aid is part of a joint response across the\nBali-NTB-NTT region. A number of parties contributed support, including\nthe National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB), the Ministry of Health,\nBulog, Bank Mandiri, the Indonesian Red Cross, the University of Mataram\nand BGR Logistik Indonesia.<\/p>\n
According to Ahsanul, the departure of the NTB team is not merely\nabout sending logistics, but ensuring that affected residents receive\ndirect services, especially in the early phase of disaster handling.\n\u201cThe NTB medical team came bringing more than just health services. They\nbrought care that knows no island boundaries,\u201d said Ahsanul.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/iqbal-and-koster-visit-ntt-earthquake-victims-welcomed-by-laka-lena-1787212290", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }