Public Works Minister assures access and basic needs to be promptly addressed in NTT
Public Works Minister Dody Hanggodo has assured that access and basic needs following the earthquake in Nusa Tenggara Timur (NTT) are being addressed promptly.
He reported on the progress of handling carried out by the Ministry of Public Works through its Technical Implementation Units (UPT) in NTT. A number of affected roads and bridges have been inspected, while work on points still experiencing disruption continues to be coordinated so that public access can return to normal as soon as possible.
“We have checked conditions on the ground. Several points have begun to be handled, but there are still some that we need to resolve. There is one bridge that still needs to be dealt with and we are racing to ensure it can be addressed soon,” Dody said in a statement in Jakarta on Sunday.
He attended a coordination meeting on emergency response following the 7.7 magnitude earthquake that struck the Flores Island area of Nusa Tenggara Timur on Sunday. The coordination meeting was held in Labuan Bajo, West Manggarai Regency, to ensure disaster response proceeds quickly and in a coordinated manner.
The meeting was chaired by Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Cultural Affairs Pratikno and attended by a number of ministers and deputy ministers of the Red and White Cabinet, elements of the Indonesian National Armed Forces and National Police, as well as regional heads. The meeting discussed developments on the ground as well as measures to accelerate the handling of the needs of communities affected by the earthquake.
Dody has instructed UPT personnel in the field to carry out work on affected road sections. The work is being carried out in stages, prioritising access needed for public mobility and supporting the distribution of aid and emergency services.
“We have coordinated with our UPT colleagues to move to points that require handling. If there are additional needs, we are ready to assist and coordinate with other ministries and agencies,” he said.
Dody stressed that disaster response requires joint work across ministries and agencies, including regional governments, the Indonesian National Armed Forces, and the National Police. For this reason, the Ministry of Public Works continues to coordinate to ensure that basic infrastructure support is provided according to conditions and needs on the ground.
The Ministry of Public Works, through its UPT in NTT, will continue to monitor the condition of affected infrastructure and accelerate work on points that disrupt connectivity.
These measures are being taken to ensure that public access, aid distribution, and the fulfilment of basic needs can proceed during the emergency response period following the Flores earthquake.