ITS dispatches humanitarian aid and infrastructure assessment team to NTT following earthquake
Surabaya (ANTARA) - The Sepuluh Nopember Institute of Technology (ITS) has dispatched humanitarian aid and an infrastructure assessment team to support the management and recovery of communities affected by the earthquake in East Nusa Tenggara (NTT).
“ITS has deployed two teams in the initial stage of disaster management: one team to deliver humanitarian aid, and another to conduct assessments of the condition of affected buildings and infrastructure,” stated the Rector of ITS, Prof. Dr Bambang Pramujati, in Surabaya on Monday.
According to him, the assessment is necessary to determine the condition of buildings following the earthquake, particularly to identify which structures remain safe for use and which require further intervention.
Bambang added that ITS’s involvement in disaster management is not solely focused on short-term aid. The academic and technological expertise held by ITS is expected to assist in the recovery process for both the community and infrastructure post-disaster.
Meanwhile, a representative of the ITS Alumni Association (IKA ITS), Adi Dharma, stated that the disaster response is being conducted through multi-stakeholder collaboration involving ITS, IKA ITS, local ITS alumni, the ITS Manarul Ilmi Foundation (YMI ITS), the government, the Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD), State-Owned Enterprises (BUMN), and various other partners.
This collaboration is divided into humanitarian and technical tracks. The humanitarian track focuses on the distribution of logistics based on the emergency needs of the community, while the technical track performs rapid assessments of strategic infrastructure.
In the initial stage, four logistics trucks were dispatched with a target distribution across six points. However, based on field conditions, distribution has expanded to nine points, covering the Manggarai and East Manggarai regions, as well as several locations in Flores.
The aid sent includes basic food supplies, emergency tents, blankets, shelter equipment, temporary settlement needs, medicines, and medical logistics. Distribution is being carried out gradually, adjusting to the specific needs of each location.
The Director of the Directorate of Research and Community Service (DRPM) at ITS, Fadlilatul Taufany, S.T., Ph.D., stated that disaster management does not end at the initial stage. ITS is preparing to send follow-up teams to expand the scope of assistance.
“ITS will also allocate a budget for this. We will send several more teams. In the second stage, we will focus on five regencies, namely West Manggarai, East Manggarai, Ende, Nagekeo, and Sikka,” said Fadlilatul.
In the subsequent stage, ITS will strengthen the distribution of basic necessities and medicines while establishing posts to support community kitchens. Trauma healing programmes are also being prepared, involving members of the academic community, including those from the Faculty of Medicine and Health.
Fadlilatul noted that the logistics packages prepared include not only basic necessities but also medicines and vitamins. The amount of aid is expected to continue increasing in accordance with the needs of the community on the ground.
The Chairman of YMI ITS, Triyanto, stated that the disaster response in NTT requires long-term support, as the recovery process for affected communities is expected to extend beyond the initial aid phase.
According to him, YMI ITS will intensify donation campaigns to expand support for the earthquake victims. These campaigns target the wider ITS community, including students, alumni, lecturers, and staff.
“This requires long-term stamina, as we do not know how many months of treatment will be necessary. Naturally, this will require significant funding,” said Triyanto.
He expressed hope that more members of the public will become aware of the victims’ conditions and be moved to provide assistance.