Disaster Coordination Meeting: Deputy Social Affairs Minister Vows Not to Leave Affected Residents to Face It Alone

Deputy Social Affairs Minister Agus Jabo Priyono attended a coordination meeting on handling the Flores earthquake disaster in East Nusa Tenggara. The meeting was held in Labuan Bajo, West Manggarai, NTT.

Agus said the Ministry of Social Affairs would continue to move and would not let affected residents face the disaster alone. He stressed that aid handling is not merely about numbers, but about ensuring the public remains safe and does not face difficulties.

“In principle, if there is anything needed at the disaster site, the Ministry of Social Affairs is ready to provide support. We have prepared logistics in our warehouses,” Agus said in a written statement on Sunday (16/8/2026).

During the meeting, Agus presented an update on the ministry’s aid mobilisation.

“At the Efata Centre, we have mobilised aid in the form of mattresses, blankets, food, and clothing, including children’s clothing and women’s clothing. From the Efata Centre, we will move it to Nagekeo Regency,” Agus said.

“Then, from the NTT Provincial Social Service warehouse, we will also move it to Nagekeo, then to Maumere, Sikka, Ende, and East Manggarai,” he continued.

The Ministry of Social Affairs has also prepared 1,000 basic food packages for communities in Nagekeo and East Manggarai, an additional 48 tonnes of rice to support food needs, and the strengthening of public kitchens in Nagekeo, Sikka, and Manggarai.

The public kitchens are estimated to serve more than 457,000 portions over seven days. Overall, the ministry’s total support amounts to Rp 4.52 billion.

“The Ministry of Social Affairs supports emergency needs, especially food, clothing, and emergency tents. We are mobilising from three warehouses,” Agus said.

“One warehouse in Bekasi, the second is the warehouse in NTT at the Efata Centre, and the warehouse at the NTT Provincial Social Service. Hopefully the mobilisation can reach NTT, where the disaster occurred, as soon as possible,” Agus said.

Agus added that for deceased victims, the Ministry of Social Affairs would provide compensation to each heir. Each life will be given assistance of Rp 15 million.

Agus asked the regents and heads of social services in their respective regions to immediately collect data and report it to the ministry so that compensation can be promptly provided to the heirs of deceased victims’ families.

Based on preliminary reports, as of Sunday (16/8) at 07.50 WITA, the number of affected residents in evacuation handling was recorded at 3,839 people. A total of 47 people were reported dead and 110 people were injured. The data collection process on victims and other impacts is still ongoing.

The central government is accelerating the handling of the NTT earthquake through cross-ministerial/institutional and regional government coordination.

The government has prepared two national posts in Labuan Bajo and Maumere. Aid deployed includes tents, food, generators, and logistics, including the use of remaining aid stock from the Lewotobi Laki-Laki eruption response. The government is also preparing repairs to residents’ homes based on damage levels, up to relocation.

On the infrastructure side, the Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing is accelerating the handling of national roads and broken bridges so that transportation access and logistics distribution can be reopened. Aid from President Prabowo Subianto has also begun to be distributed using Hercules aircraft.

For information, the coordination meeting was led by Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture Pratikno and attended by Home Affairs Minister Muhammad Tito Karnavian, Public Works Minister Dody Hanggodo, Head of the National Search and Rescue Agency Mohammad Syafii, Head of the National Disaster Management Agency Suharyanto, and Deputy Health Minister Benjamin Paulus Octavianus.

Also present were Commander of Kodam IX/Udayana Major General TNI Piek Budyakto, NTT Police Chief Inspector General Pol Dr Rudi Darmoko, Emanuel Melkiades Laka Lena, Chair of the NTT Regional House of Representatives Emelia Julia Nomleni, President Director of PLN Darmawan Prasodjo, Director of Telkom Dian Siswarini, and Director of Pertamina Simon Aloysius Mantiri.

West Manggarai Regent Edistasius Endi and regional heads whose areas were affected by the Nagekeo earthquake also attended the meeting.