Government Accelerates NTT Earthquake Response through Integrated Command Post and Rehabilitation-Reconstruction
The government is strengthening cross-sector coordination to accelerate the handling of the impact of the earthquake that shook several areas in East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) Province. This strategic step includes the establishment of an integrated command post and the acceleration of the rehabilitation and reconstruction of vital public facilities.
Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture (Menko PMK) Pratikno affirmed this commitment after leading a coordination meeting on post-earthquake emergency handling at the West Manggarai Regent’s Office, NTT, on Sunday (16/8).
Pratikno said that on the second day after the disaster, the government moved quickly to establish command posts at both the regional and national levels. This aims to ensure that aid distribution runs effectively and in an organised manner.
“It has been conveyed that a command post will be established immediately. On this second day, a command post has been formed; the central government has a post, a national post. Later, the Head of BNPB will convey that logistical assistance from Jakarta and from other regions will be consolidated at Halim and sent here,” said Pratikno.
During the emergency response period, the government has set public safety as the highest priority. In addition to evacuation, the restoration of basic infrastructure is a primary target so that community activities can return to normal as soon as possible.
Pratikno detailed several important facilities that are the focus of rapid recovery, including: “In this emergency response phase, the main priority is of course to save affected residents, then to restore damaged infrastructure so that it becomes functional again and recovers in the shortest possible time,” he said.
Furthermore, the Coordinating Minister emphasised that disaster management does not stop at the emergency phase. The government will continue efforts through a comprehensive rehabilitation and reconstruction phase.
He also highlighted the importance of building resilience at the regional government and community levels. “Disasters cannot be completely avoided, but we must build resilient regional governments, resilient communities, and resilient infrastructure in facing disasters,” he stressed.
The presence of central government officials directly at the disaster site is a tangible form of the state’s presence. Pratikno ensured that all central resources would be deployed to the maximum through strict inter-agency synchronisation.
“The central government has truly come here as a full team. This synchronisation is very important because central resources for emergency response and also rehabilitation-reconstruction are very large,” he said.
Closing his statement, Pratikno expressed his deepest condolences to the affected victims. He invited all elements of society to synergise with the government in accelerating the recovery process of the NTT region after the earthquake.