Minister Sjafrie Delivers Aid to Communities Affected by the NTT Earthquake

RRI.CO.ID, NTT– Indonesia's Minister of Defense, Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin visited East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) Province on Monday, August 17, 2026. He directly reviewed the handling of the earthquake’s impact and deliver humanitarian assistance to affected communities.

His presence in NTT reflects the government’s concern for communities affected by the disaster and its commitment to ensuring that response efforts and assistance are delivered effectively.

The visit took place immediately after Minister Sjafrie attended the series of ceremonies commemorating the Proclamation of Independence as part of the 81st Anniversary of the Republic of Indonesia at Merdeka Palace in Jakarta. From Jakarta, the Minister travelled aboard an Indonesian Air Force A400M aircraft to Komodo Airport in Labuan Bajo, carrying approximately 20 tons of humanitarian aid.

The humanitarian assistance included 25 sets of tents, 484 folding beds, 15 Starlink sets, 700 ready-to-eat meal packages, 500 boxes of liquid milk, 10 solar-cell sets, 35 field mosquito nets, 101 sleeping mats, 1,480 blankets, two reverse osmosis (RO) water treatment units, and 18 packages of medicines.

Additional assistance included instant noodles, baby porridge, diapers, and sanitary pads. The total cargo, including pallets, weighed approximately 20.9 tons.

The Ministry of Defense had also previously dispatched additional aid to Maumere and Labuan Bajo, consisting of ready-to-eat meals, platoon tents, blankets, water purifiers, handheld communication radios, and flashlights.

Upon arriving in NTT, Minister Sjafrie continued his inspection to the Nagekeo area, located near the earthquake’s epicentre. The visit was conducted to directly assess the condition of local communities, identify urgent needs on the ground, and ensure that support from the Indonesian Military (TNI) and government assistance could reach affected areas quickly and effectively.

The Minister’s presence in the affected areas is part of the government’s efforts to accelerate the emergency response and optimize the role of the TNI in supporting the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB), the National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas), local governments, the Indonesian National Police (Polri), and all other parties involved in disaster response operations.

In this regard, Minister Sjafrie underscored the importance of speed, coordination, and sustained support for affected communities. The deployment of transport aircraft, helicopters, naval assets, field medical facilities, as well as TNI communications and logistical support, is aimed at helping the government reach hard-to-access areas and ensuring that the basic needs of communities are met throughout the emergency response period.