President Prabowo Visits Flores as M7.7 Quake Triggers Geo-Hazards and Leaves 180,000 Displaced

JAKARTA, Investortrust.id — Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto landed in East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) on Wednesday to oversee large-scale emergency relief and infrastructure reconstruction after a devastating magnitude 7.7 earthquake tore through Flores Island.

The disaster management command centers reported an escalating humanitarian toll, confirming 100 fatalities, over 1,600 injured victims, and widespread damage across more than 73,000 residential dwellings.

Large-scale natural disasters present acute fiscal, logistics, and supply-chain pressures across the archipelago's eastern frontier.

Beyond immediate emergency outlays, restoring transport arteries, healthcare facilities, and tourist corridors will require significant state infrastructure budgets, while heightened geological hazards near volcanic landmarks test regional economic stability.

Commanding Field Coordination and Naval Healthcare Units

State Secretariat Minister Prasetyo Hadi detailed the presidential directive on Wednesday, emphasizing that the central government is mobilizing all available state resources to ensure relief distribution reaches remote districts without administrative delays.

"The President’s visit ensures that coordination among the central government, regional administrations, the military, the police, and disaster response teams operates at maximum efficiency across Flores," Hadi said in an official statement on Wednesday. "Our commitment extends beyond emergency response toward long-term reconstruction to restore community livelihoods sustainably."

The central government dispatched over 204 tons of basic foodstuffs, field hospitals, and specialized medical supplies between Aug. 15 and Aug. 24, backed by Indonesian Navy hospital ship KRI Soeharso-990 anchored at Reo Port in Manggarai Regency.

Floating medical vessel Ksatria Airlangga deployed to Nangalirang Bay in East Manggarai, while field surgical units at Ruteng and Aeramo hospitals completed 29 emergency operations on injured survivors.

Humanitarian Toll and Seismic Aftershocks

The disaster authority (BNPB) reported that over 180,327 residents remain displaced in open evacuation shelters amid lingering aftershocks.

"As of today, fatalities stand at 100, with 1,603 injured and 180,327 individuals currently displaced," BNPB Chief Lieutenant General Suharyanto stated during an emergency briefing. "Tremors have damaged 73,818 homes, including 23,276 severely destroyed units, alongside 1,915 public facilities."

Seismological monitoring agency BMKG logged 6,409 aftershocks during the initial eight days following the main quake, with the strongest aftershock reaching magnitude 6.2.

Although seismic activity has begun to decelerate over recent days, persistent ground shaking prompted thousands of residents whose homes suffered only minor damage to remain outdoors.

Kelimutu Volcanic Fissures Spark Technical Scrutiny

The powerful undersea tremor triggered geo-hazard warnings at Mount Kelimutu in Ende Regency after authorities discovered a 100-meter (328-foot) linear ground fracture near the rim of Crater Lake I (Tiwu Ata Polo).

Public Works Minister Dody Hanggodo surveyed the site alongside water resource engineers on Tuesday, utilizing aerial drone sweeps to assess slope stability and potential drainage paths.

"There is indeed a fracture, and ongoing seismic activity raises concerns that the fissure could expand," Hanggodo explained on Wednesday. "We noticed heavy water trickles cascading down cliff faces along the corridor from Ende to Kelimutu, which may indicate seepage pathways affecting the lake's water volume."

The Geological Agency confirmed that Mount Kelimutu’s volcanic status remains at Level I (Normal), but safety officials established a strict 10-meter (33-foot) exclusion zone around the crater lip to protect visitors from potential landslides.

Inter-Island Aid Pipelines Accelerate

Regional administrations and institutional donors across the archipelago mobilized emergency transport routes to supply hard-hit communities in Ende, Nagekeo, East Manggarai, and Manggarai regencies.

The Riau Provincial Police dispatched a 60-ton humanitarian convoy from Tanjung Perak Port in Surabaya on Wednesday, carrying basic staples, infant supplies, and field shelters across three heavy-duty logistics trucks.

Simultaneously, the West Sumatra Provincial Administration delivered 2.2 tons of high-protein ready-to-eat rendang via military transport aircraft to provide long-shelf-life nutrition in forward operating bases.

Disaster officials confirmed that aid arriving through regional transit hubs in Labuan Bajo and Maumere is being funneled into interior mountain villages as road clearing teams restore surface transport access.