Refugee Aid in Nagekeo Reduced, Deputy Regent Provides Explanation

The Deputy Regent of Nascara Nagekeo, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), Gonzalo Gratianus Muga Sada, has revealed that the distribution of aid to refugees has been reduced. This reduction is due to the commencement of the second phase of the emergency response period.

“The primary goal of the second phase of emergency response is to ensure refugees can return to their homes. During the first phase, our concentration was on in-kind aid, healthy food, and other essentials,” Gonzalo stated during an interview at the Nagekeo BPBD post on Sunday (30/8/2026).

Gonzalo explained that efforts must be made to return refugees to their respective homes during this second phase. This is because the government has identified the disaster as an earthquake rather than a tsunami.

“In the event of a tsunami, the solution would be for residents to seek higher ground. However, this incident was an earthquake, where the damage affected buildings, houses, and so on,” said Gonzalo.

According to Gonzalo, several irrigation systems for paddy fields were affected by the earthquake, but the damage was not severe. Instead, the primary concern for residents is the heavy damage to houses, including kiosks and shops.

“Therefore, our second-phase emergency aid is concentrated on recovery and the repatriation of refugees,” he explained.

Gonzalo noted that the aid will shift from in-kind food supplies to temporary housing materials such as tents, mattresses, mats, and blankets, as the local economy and agricultural and livestock sectors remain stable.

“We are striving to ensure refugees return home. They may stay in evacuation posts, but only under specific criteria, such as the elderly, pregnant women, and children. This is something that must be addressed, and I believe the government is responsible,” Gonzalo clarified.

Gonzalo stated that damaged houses will be assessed and evaluated. The government will prohibit residents from entering houses that appear habitable until the assessment is complete.

“We will build temporary shelters next to their homes, categorised by heavy, moderate, and light damage,” he revealed.

“For those whose homes have completely collapsed, there is no need to wait for an assessment; we will automatically build new ones. There is no need for doubt,” he added.

It was previously reported that approximately 10 evacuation tents at Berdikari Danga Field, Aesesa District, Nagekeo, NTT, appeared empty on Saturday (29/8/2026) night. This occurred because many residents chose to return to their homes.

The post, which previously housed more than 600 people from Tonggurambang, Marapokot, and Nangadhero villages, is now quiet, with only a few tents still occupied by refugees.

“The community is now dispersing and returning home,” said one refugee, Maria Gorety Nidja, when met at the post on Saturday night.

Maria noted that residents began leaving the evacuation centres two days ago, with many others following suit today. Some refugees chose to return home because aid had ceased.

The 48-year-old woman assessed that the distribution of aid was uneven and poorly targeted, despite Tonggurambang, Marapokot, and Nangadhero villages being the most severely affected due to their location on the northern coast of Nagekeo.

“In fact, aid is only being distributed to those who were not affected. The proof is that all the posts are empty. The community says they would rather return home than face death here,” Maria asserted.