PMI serves hundreds of residents in five days after NTT earthquake
The Indonesian Red Cross (PMI) has reported that as of 20 August, following the earthquake in East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), 157 people have received mobile health services and first aid, while 147 people have received psychosocial support services.
PMI Chairman Jusuf Kalla said in Jakarta on Friday that the organisation will continue to ensure the most urgent needs of the community can be met promptly. PMI has provided various services, ranging from health care to the distribution of clean water and logistical assistance.
“PMI has mobilised 68 personnel, seven operational vehicles, seven ambulances, and one water tanker truck. PMI is also conducting assessments, evacuations, health services, first aid, and shelter management,” Kalla said.
PMI has also erected 40 tent units, comprising emergency tents, family tents, and emergency hospital tents to support the needs of affected communities and field services.
Two mobile health teams consisting of two doctors and five nurses have been mobilised from PMI Headquarters, PMI Bogor Hospital, and PMI DKI Jakarta to support public health services and coordinate with the local Health Cluster.
A total of 60,000 litres of clean water has been distributed to affected communities. PMI has also distributed food, mineral water, rice, blankets, tarpaulins, mats, mosquito nets, hygiene kits, and baby kits.
PMI has also dispatched various emergency supplies as of 20 August 2026. The assistance includes 875 hygiene kits, 405 mattresses, 2,210 tarpaulins, 250 baby kits, 1,000 sarongs, 1,500 folding jerry cans, 500 mosquito nets, 1,000 blankets, 200 kitchen kits, and 18 tents measuring 6 by 12 metres.
PMI has also sent operational support equipment such as 240 helmets, 249 hammers, 276 pairs of gloves, 35 shovels, 500 radios, 500 torches, 1,000 batteries, 1,000 solar lamps, and 300 PMI vests.
Operational support has also been strengthened with the dispatch of one 4x4 vehicle from Jakarta and 10 open-bed vehicles from Jakarta, East Java, South Sulawesi, Bali, West Nusa Tenggara, and Kupang, NTT.
PMI has also sent initial operational funds amounting to Rp146,690,000 to PMI East Nusa Tenggara Province to support the humanitarian response in affected areas.
“In an emergency situation like this, speed of response is very important,” Kalla said.
However, PMI still faces a number of obstacles in reaching affected communities, including severed roads and communications. In addition, he said, continuing aftershocks also pose challenges for search operations, health services, shelter management, and aid distribution.
Therefore, PMI is prioritising search, rescue and evacuation; health services and first aid; provision of evacuation tents and health service tents; and meeting needs such as blankets, mattresses, mats and tarpaulins.
Other needs still required by the community include hygiene kits and baby kits, basic foodstuffs and ready-to-eat meals, kitchen equipment, medicines and trauma kits, clean water, water tanks, and emergency sanitation facilities. PMI also requires support in the form of generators, communication equipment, emergency lighting, heavy equipment to open access, and service support vehicles, particularly 4x4 vehicles.
The 7.7-magnitude earthquake that occurred on 15 August 2026 at 04.58 Western Indonesian Time affected a number of areas in East Nusa Tenggara, including Manggarai, East Manggarai, West Manggarai, Sikka, Ende, Nagekeo, and Ngada. As of 20 August, BMKG had recorded 3,394 aftershocks with magnitudes ranging from 1.1 to 6.2.
“PMI continues to deploy available resources to ensure affected communities receive health services, protection, clean water, and other basic needs. At the same time, we continue to strengthen coordination with the government and relevant elements so that assistance can reach the communities most in need,” Kalla said.