Public Works Minister Ensures Road and Bridge Infrastructure for Basic Needs Access Affected by NTT Earthquake Will Be Handled Immediately

Public Works Minister Dody Hanggodo has confirmed that access and basic needs following the earthquake in East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) are being handled immediately. Supporting infrastructure for supplies is the top priority.

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. Meanwhile, handling at 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 is handled soon,” said Dody in his statement in Jakarta on Sunday, 16 August 2026.

He attended an emergency response coordination meeting following the 7.7 magnitude earthquake that struck the Flores Island region of East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) on Sunday. The coordination meeting was held in Labuan Bajo, West Manggarai Regency, to ensure disaster handling proceeds quickly and in a coordinated manner.

The coordination meeting was led 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 TNI and Polri, as well as regional heads. The meeting discussed developments on the ground as well as measures to accelerate handling of the needs of communities affected by the earthquake.

Dody has instructed UPT staff in the field to carry out handling on affected road sections. Handling is being carried out in stages, prioritising access needed for public mobility as well as 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 emphasised that disaster handling requires joint work across ministries and agencies, including regional governments, the TNI, and the Polri. Therefore, the Ministry of Public Works continues to coordinate to ensure 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 handling at points that disrupt connectivity.