Human Initiative Prepares 14-Day Emergency Response for NTT Earthquake Victims

Human Initiative (HI) has launched a 14-day emergency response plan to aid communities affected by the magnitude 7.7 earthquake that struck Indonesia's Nusa Tenggara Timur (NTT) province on Saturday, August 15, 2026. The duration aligns with the official emergency response decree.

Deni Kurniawan, Manager of Disaster Risk Management at HI, stated the organization aims to reach affected areas swiftly to distribute essential supplies. The primary focus of HI's response will be on the Nagekeo, East Manggarai, and Manggarai regencies. Nagekeo is considered a priority due to its location near the earthquake's epicenter.

A Human Initiative team arrived in NTT on Sunday, August 16, 2026, after traveling from Jakarta. They conducted a rapid assessment to map the situation and identify the needs of the affected population. Based on these findings, emergency aid was distributed to survivors in Mbay 1, Aesesa District, Nagekeo Regency. This initial assistance included food items like instant noodles, cooking oil, milk, soy sauce, and salt, along with drinking water and hygiene products such as laundry soap and toothbrushes.

Future aid programs will encompass ready-to-eat meals, food packages, hygiene kits, tarpaulins, and sleeping equipment. HI is also monitoring the Selayar Islands in South Sulawesi for potential needs. To overcome communication challenges in remote areas, HI is prepared to provide emergency communication support through Starlink, facilitating better coordination and access to affected regions.

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We hope to reach the affected residents soon and open access there, so we can distribute aid to the heavily impacted areas.