Public Works Minister Accelerates Post-Disaster Infrastructure Recovery

The Ministry of Public Works is accelerating the recovery of disaster-affected infrastructure in several regions, from Sumatra to East Nusa Tenggara (NTT). The works cover roads, bridges, clean water, public facilities, irrigation, and mitigation infrastructure.

In NTT, the response follows a 7.7-magnitude earthquake that struck Flores in mid-August 2026. As of 16 August, nine affected national road sections had been restored to functionality, while 40 landslide points and four roadbed fracture points were still being handled.

Public Works Minister Dody Hanggodo has asked regional governments to promptly report damage locations so that handling can be carried out.

“We are present at every disaster, because the President’s directive is clear that we must not grieve for too long; we must rise as quickly as possible. So I ask for the complete data, the points. So that we can deploy teams immediately, coordinate with the heads of agencies, directly check one by one and get straight to work,” Dody said in his statement on Saturday (22/8/2026).

One of the sections still being handled is the 4.1-kilometre Krica-Lidi road in Pulue Village, with at least 10 landslide points. As of 19 August, a joint team had broken through one of the landslide points and clearing was still ongoing.

Damage also occurred to clean water and irrigation networks. In Ende Regency, repairs to the SPAM IKK Nangaba have been completed and water flow has returned to residents’ homes. Meanwhile, in the Mbay Kiri Lanjutan Irrigation Area, a 250-metre tertiary channel was damaged, affecting around 175 hectares of land.

In Aceh, North Sumatra, and West Sumatra, all 107 national road sections and 43 national bridges affected by disasters at the end of 2025 have been restored to functionality.

However, the recovery of regional infrastructure has not been fully completed. A total of 2,291 out of 2,421 regional road sections have been restored to functionality, while 827 out of 1,184 regional bridges are operational.

In the irrigation sector, 13 out of 31 centrally managed irrigation areas have been fully handled. For national weirs, four out of 14 locations have been completed.

In addition to recovery, the Ministry of Public Works has begun work on mitigation infrastructure. In the Mount Marapi area of West Sumatra, eight first-phase sabo dams are being built to contain material and reduce the risk of material flows into residential areas.