Government prepares volunteer registration service for NTT earthquake response

The Government of the Republic of Indonesia, through the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB), is providing an integrated registration service for volunteers who wish to participate in handling the impact of the earthquake in Flores, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT).

Acting Head of the BNPB Data, Information and Disaster Communication Centre, Berton SP Panjaitan, said in a press conference in Jakarta on Friday that registration can be done online to facilitate coordination and mobilisation of volunteers in the field.

“Volunteers who will take part in disaster management in NTT can register through the Volunteer Desk (at katalogketangguhan.bnpb.go.id/desk-relawan),” he said.

Berton added that BNPB has prepared an integrated digital dashboard to monitor updates on handling data, aid distribution, and the latest post-disaster situation developments.

As of Friday (21/8) at 16.00 WIB, BNPB recorded the death toll had increased by eight people to a total of 83. The additional fatalities were caused by indirect impacts of the disaster, comprising two in Manggarai Regency, two in East Manggarai, three in Nagekeo, and one in Ngada.

“Meanwhile, the number of injured has increased to 986 people and the number of displaced residents has surged significantly to 110,785 people,” he said.

Damage to residential facilities has reached 44,946 housing units, with details of 17,176 heavily damaged units, 9,758 moderately damaged units, and 18,013 lightly damaged units.

The distribution of heavily damaged homes is concentrated in the three most affected regencies, namely East Manggarai Regency with 5,962 units, Manggarai Regency with 3,146 units, and West Manggarai Regency with 3,050 units.

Despite all this, according to Berton, BNPB leadership has ensured that posts in each affected area will update housing damage data regularly every day.

“Data collection is carried out based on name and address for determining the recovery assistance scheme,” said Berton, while urging the public to remain wise in filtering information about post-disaster conditions circulating on social media.