East Manggarai Worst Hit, Earthquake Death Toll Rises to 36
The emergency response post for the earthquake disaster in East Manggarai Regency, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), has reported that the death toll from the earthquake in the region has risen to 36 people. The data was recorded as of 25 August at 18.00 WITA. Previously, the death toll in East Manggarai was reported at 34 people.
East Manggarai is the area worst affected by the magnitude 7.7 earthquake in terms of casualties. In the report shared this morning, there were also 643 people injured as a result of the earthquake, comprising 239 seriously injured and 409 with minor injuries. In addition, 31,372 residents have been displaced. They fled because their homes were damaged.
Infrastructure damage caused by the earthquake has also continued to increase. A total of 21,288 infrastructure units have been recorded as damaged. Previously, 19,567 public infrastructure units were reported to have been affected by the earthquake.
Earlier, the Head of the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB), Lieutenant General TNI Suharyanto, requested that disaster management in the earthquake-affected areas be carried out quickly, accurately and based on data. He stressed that the basic needs of the community must be addressed immediately.
“Damage assessment must also be accelerated so that the rehabilitation and recovery process can begin immediately,” Suharyanto emphasised while chairing a coordination meeting on the emergency handling of the earthquake disaster in East Manggarai Regency on Tuesday.
The meeting was attended by East Manggarai Regent Agas Andreas, the regional secretary and heads of regional apparatus organisations in East Manggarai, elements of the Regional Leadership Coordination Forum, and the BNPB regional coordinator for East Manggarai.
Suharyanto encouraged the regional government to begin preparing for the transition from the emergency response phase to recovery. “The most important thing is that the public knows that their damaged homes will be repaired with assistance from the state. After that, those with light and moderate damage can return home. So please lock in the data immediately. Later, BNPB will verify and lock it in,” said Suharyanto.
“Do not wait for an entire area to be completed. If something is already finished, submit it and process it. So do not let the public stay in tents for too long. We must enter the transition phase immediately,” Suharyanto stressed.