Residents Still Trapped in Building Rubble After M 7 Earthquake in NTT

Head of the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) Lieutenant General TNI Suharyanto has said that victims are still trapped in the rubble of buildings following the magnitude 7 earthquake in East Nusa Tenggara (NTT). Joint teams are continuing search and rescue efforts.

“As a priority, there was information from the Governor that in addition to the victims we reported earlier, there are still several members of the public believed to require assistance. Some are trapped in several buildings, and this is the initial target of the disaster management team, the joint team,” Suharyanto said during a press conference broadcast on BNPB’s YouTube channel on Saturday (15/8/2026).

Suharyanto said the joint team would immediately search for and assist affected residents. The team involves Basarnas, the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI), the Indonesian National Police (Polri) and other relevant elements.

“The Head of Basarnas, along with TNI-Polri personnel and their teams, will immediately carry out search and rescue operations for the affected communities,” he said.

He said BNPB, together with the regional government and relevant elements, had also agreed to immediately activate a Disaster Management Command Post. The post will serve as a coordination centre to handle various post-earthquake needs.

“In the coordination meeting earlier, we agreed to immediately activate the Disaster Management Command Post. All matters relating to disaster management will be activated,” he said.

Previously, BNPB recorded 38 fatalities as a result of the magnitude 7 earthquake in NTT. BNPB also recorded two people with serious injuries and 11 with minor injuries.

“The first affected victims are fatalities. As of 3.00 pm this afternoon, 38 people have been recorded as having died,” said Head of BNPB Lieutenant General TNI Suharyanto during the press conference broadcast on BNPB’s YouTube channel on Saturday (15/8/2026).

“Then two people with serious injuries, 11 with minor injuries, and approximately 2,000 people have evacuated independently,” he continued.