Flores Residents Involved in Rebuilding Facilities Damaged by Earthquake

The Indonesian government is committed to engaging local communities in the rehabilitation and reconstruction of public facilities devastated by a recent earthquake on Flores Island. This inclusive strategy is designed not only to repair damaged infrastructure but also to simultaneously revive the economic prospects of the affected residents.

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If a building needs to be rebuilt, local wisdom must be preserved wherever possible. Therefore, coordination with those who use or manage the building is essential.

Minister of Public Works Dody Hanggodo visited several public facilities and places of worship in Manggarai Regency, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), including the Santo Petrus dan Paulus Dampek Church and the Nurul Huda Reo Mosque. During his inspection on Friday, August 28, 2026, the ministry conducted assessments to determine the appropriate repair or rebuilding approach for each structure based on its damage level.

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We must strengthen the buildings because, after all, this is an earthquake-prone area. So the buildings must be able to adapt to the natural conditions.

"If a building needs to be rebuilt, local wisdom must be preserved wherever possible. Therefore, coordination with those who use or manage the building is essential," Hanggodo stated in a written release. Buildings with repairable damage will undergo rehabilitation, while those severely damaged will be reconstructed with enhanced resilience to withstand seismic activity, aligning with the region's earthquake-prone nature.

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Local communities must be involved, so that the local communities do not lose their livelihoods. They can get their livelihoods back by participating in all the rehab-reconstruction processes in the most affected areas.

Hanggodo emphasized the importance of coordinating rebuilding efforts for places of worship with their respective management. For the Dampek church, this involved consultations with the pastor, parish officials, and the Diocese of Ruteng. He stressed that while safety standards are paramount, local cultural nuances must also be respected. The approach aligns with the "build back better" principle, aiming for improved quality and safety in post-disaster reconstruction. As of August 26, the Directorate General of Human Settlements had conducted rapid assessments at 66 sites across eight earthquake-affected regencies in NTT.

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If it's a church, coordinate with the pastor. Local wisdom should not be lost.