Prabowo Orders Subordinates to Handle NTT Earthquake Swiftly and Maximally

President Prabowo Subianto has assured that the government is providing maximum handling for communities affected by the earthquake in East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) by deploying relevant agencies and distributing basic necessities.

“We want to ensure our brothers and sisters there receive swift and maximum emergency handling,” said Prabowo via his Instagram account @prabowo, monitored in Jakarta on Sunday.

Prabowo said the government has prepared 50,000 basic food packages for communities affected by the NTT earthquake.

The aid began departing on Saturday 15 August and is being distributed in stages to several affected areas.

The President also instructed cross-sector cooperation to ensure post-earthquake handling proceeds swiftly and on target.

Prabowo assigned Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture Pratikno, Minister of Home Affairs Tito Karnavian, Minister of Public Works Dody Hanggodo, Head of the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) Suharyanto, and Head of the National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas) Mohammad Syafii to go directly to the field to handle the disaster’s impact.

In addition, the government deployed elements of Perum Bulog, PT PLN (Persero), PT Pertamina (Persero), and PT Telkom Indonesia (Persero) Tbk to support handling on the ground.

Prabowo stressed that the safety and fulfilment of basic needs of the community are the government’s priority in handling the emergency period.

“The safety and basic needs of residents are the most important thing at this time,” he said.

The President assured that the government continues to carry out recovery efforts after the earthquake.

“The government will continue to do its best to restore the situation,” he said.

Prabowo also expressed sympathy and prayers to the communities affected by the disaster.

“Our hearts and prayers are with our brothers and sisters in NTT, who are grieving due to the earthquake,” he said.

Previously, a 7.7 magnitude earthquake shook the East Nusa Tenggara region on Saturday 15 August 2026.

Based on updated BNPB data as of Sunday 16 August at 00.00 WIB, 9,290 residents remain in various evacuation sites.

The largest concentration of evacuees is in Sikka Regency with 3,356 people and Manggarai Regency with 2,078 people.

BNPB also reported that 4,925 of the total 50,000 basic food packages from the President’s aid have been sent via Maumere and Labuan Bajo for further distribution to several affected regencies.