Indonesia commits to accelerated recovery for earthquake-hit East Nusa Tenggara
Minister of Home Affairs Muhammad Tito Karnavian reaffirms central government support for East Nusa Tenggara following magnitude 7.7 earthquake that killed 68 people and displaced over 12,000 residents.
Govt reaffirms commitment accelerating NTT post-quake recovery
Indonesia's Minister of Home Affairs, Muhammad Tito Karnavian, reaffirmed the central government's commitment to accelerating relief efforts for earthquake-affected communities in East Nusa Tenggara Province during the nation's 81st Independence Day ceremony on Monday.
Speaking after leading the commemoration in East Manggarai District—home to approximately 296,000 residents on Flores Island—Karnavian emphasized that the presence of government officials demonstrated the state's determination to support disaster-stricken areas.
The President has instructed several ministers, agency heads, and deputy ministers to travel and stand alongside the community, attending the August 17 Independence Day ceremony to show the central government is taking action.
Disaster impact and response
The magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck approximately 30 kilometers northeast of Mbay in Nagekeo Regency at 05:58 local time on Saturday morning, August 15. The tremor, which occurred at a shallow depth of 10 kilometers, triggered a tsunami warning that was later lifted by the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency.
Tsunami waves ranging from 0.17 to 0.94 meters in height were observed across coastal areas, with the coastal village of Riung in Ngada regency reporting a wave reaching 1.61 meters. More than 230 aftershocks followed, the strongest measuring magnitude 6.2, complicating rescue and recovery operations.
As of Monday, the National Disaster Mitigation Agency reported 68 deaths and 213 injuries. The disaster has left more than 12,000 people homeless, with over 5,000 evacuated to shelters and temporary locations. At least 346 homes sustained damage, including 157 severely damaged structures, 41 moderately damaged, and 148 with light damage.
Emergency declarations and government action
NTT Governor Emanuel Melkiades Laka Lena declared a 14-day state of emergency beginning August 15, while East Manggarai declared a 90-day disaster emergency response period extending through November 13, 2026.
Karnavian's visit to the region was a direct response to President Prabowo Subianto's directive for cabinet officials to inspect affected areas and expedite recovery measures. The minister expressed gratitude for commemorating Independence Day alongside East Manggarai residents impacted by the disaster.
In his remarks, he called on the public to strengthen national unity and reflect on Indonesia's struggle for independence, emphasizing that the values enshrined in the Preamble to the 1945 Constitution mandate state protection for all Indonesian people and territory.
Geological context
Indonesia sits on the Pacific Ring of Fire, where the Eurasian, Pacific, and Australian tectonic plates converge. The Flores area contains both strike-slip and thrust faults formed by the subduction of the Indo-Australian plate beneath the Eurasian plate, making the region particularly vulnerable to seismic activity.
The same stretch of coastline experienced a similar magnitude 7.0 earthquake in December 1992, which triggered a tsunami that killed approximately 2,500 people on Flores Island, underscoring the region's ongoing seismic risks and the critical importance of disaster preparedness and response.