(UCAN): Indonesian president Prabowo Subianto visited earthquake-stricken Flores Island in East Nusa Tenggara province on August 26. He travelled to Nagekeo regency, where he chaired a disaster-response meeting in a military tent before meeting residents affected by the quake. He also pledged 200 billion rupiah [US$12.5 million] in emergency aid.
The visit came as thousands of people continued to live in makeshift shelters across hard-hit districts after being displaced by the earthquake.
Subianto said he had delayed his visit to “avoid disrupting” emergency operations since the disaster struck on August 15. He said the central government had continued to monitor the response and send aid to victims.
The relief package includes 40 billion rupiah [US$2.5 million] for the East Nusa Tenggara provincial administration, and 20 billion rupiah [US$1.25 million] each for eight affected regencies on Flores.
Subianto urged authorities to keep schools open as much as possible, even in temporary facilities, so children can continue their education.
He said that repair and reconstruction work would begin once conditions were safe, and urged local administrations to establish food reserves and logistics warehouses in preparation for future emergencies.
As of August 27, at least 103 people had been confirmed dead, about 1,666 injured, and more than 185,000 displaced since the magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck on August 15.
Many affected families were still waiting for basic aid, particularly those living in makeshift shelters near their damaged homes rather than in designated evacuation camps.
Marcela Kune, 31, a volunteer from Ende regency, said she has been coordinating with village officials and visiting affected residents to identify their needs, including food, clean water, tents, medicine, hygiene supplies, blankets, and items for babies and toddlers.
“It’s a challenge to reach people not living in camps. Their basic needs have not been fully met,” Kune said.
She said food and clean water were urgently needed by many survivors.
Hermanus Kabut, who coordinates a volunteer group for earthquake victims established by local media outlet Floresa and advocacy group Sunspirit for Justice and Peace, said the group had distributed donations worth 900 million rupiah [US$56,250] to 120 villages where government aid had not arrived as of August 27.
“We had received about 2,500 requests for help from hard-to-reach communities where cracked houses had left residents afraid to sleep indoors,” he said. “Based on our assessment, about 70 per cent of village houses in those areas have either collapsed or developed cracks.”
The Catholic Church was among the first groups to reach affected communities with aid in many areas.
Divine Word Father Otto Gusti Madung, rector of the Flores-based Ledalero Institute of Philosophy and Creative Technology, said priests, nuns and students brought aid to Palue Island on August 27 after landslides cut off access to some residents.
“We carried 70 tons of rice by boat to reach residents whose access had been cut off by landslides,” he said.
