Vice President visits evacuees, inspects damaged port in Sikka
Sikka, NTT (ANTARA) - Vice President Gibran Rakabuming directly inspected Laurentius Say Port, which was damaged by an earthquake, and held dialogue with evacuees as well as distributed toys to children at Wairklau State Elementary School in Sikka Regency, East Nusa Tenggara.
As reported by ANTARA in Sikka Regency, NTT, on Thursday, Vice President Gibran, accompanied by Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture Pratikno and Head of the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) Suharyanto, visited the evacuation site at Wairklau State Elementary School after arriving on Thursday afternoon.
At the location, the Vice President spoke with residents still living in evacuation tents and distributed toys and books to children who remained at the site following the magnitude 7.7 earthquake that struck the NTT region on Saturday (15/8).
“Have the children eaten?” the Vice President asked.
“The children don’t have any injuries or anything, right? No injuries? Safe, yes?” he continued, seeking confirmation.
The Vice President also handed over a number of baby supplies to a mother at the location.
Through this visit, the Vice President wanted to ensure that the government’s attention to education remains present amid the emergency situation. Post-disaster recovery is expected not only to restore the physical condition of educational facilities, but also to ensure that children can return to learning safely, comfortably, and receive the support they need.
After inspecting the evacuation site in Wairklau, the Vice President then moved towards Laurentius Say Port, which was damaged by the earthquake.
On that occasion, he observed the condition of the pier together with the Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture and the Head of BNPB before moving on to see Santa Maria Magdalena Nangahure Church, which also suffered damage from the earthquake.
Previously, the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) reported that as of Wednesday (19/8) at 20.00 WIB, a total of 71 fatalities had been recorded as a result of the earthquake that struck the NTT region.
Meanwhile, the total number of evacuees across the NTT region currently stands at 59,647 people, with the largest number of evacuees located in Manggarai.
As of Tuesday (18/8) at 18.00 WIB, logistics distribution by air had been carried out amounting to 165 tonnes, with the total aid delivered from 15-18 August 2026 amounting to 398 tonnes. The aid continues to be sent via land routes as the primary mode.