Indonesia — humanitarian situation

A magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck offshore Nagekeo Regency, East Nusa Tenggara Province, on 15 August 2026 at 04:58 WIB, triggering a tsunami warning that was lifted at 07:31 WIB the same morning after observed waves reached 0.17–0.94 meters BMKG. The shallow earthquake, occurring at a depth of 15 kilometers approximately 30 kilometers northeast of Mbay, resulted from a thrust-fault mechanism along the Flores Back-Arc Thrust and generated hundreds of aftershocks (Human Initiative). As of 16 August, BNPB reported 47 fatalities and 101 injuries across seven regencies in East Nusa Tenggara, including Nagekeo, Ende, Ngada, Manggarai, East Manggarai, Sikka, and Lembata. The NTT Provincial Government declared a 14-day emergency response status from 15–28 August 2026, with three districts—Manggarai, Ngada, and East Manggarai—also establishing emergency response periods MPBI. Displacement has escalated rapidly, with 9,290 internally displaced persons reported as of 16 August, including 3,356 in Sikka, 2,078 in Manggarai, and 500 in Nagekeo MPBI, IFRC. Over 900 homes sustained damage, forcing thousands of families into temporary shelters (Save the Children). Critical infrastructure has been severely impacted: 512 schools were affected, including 166 with severe damage and 478 classrooms destroyed, disrupting education for at least 25,765 students across the seven districts (Plan International). Save the Children reported 87 education facilities and 18 healthcare centers damaged, affecting services essential to children's well-being. Landslides have cut critical supply routes, including the Trans Ende-Bajawa highway, complicating access to affected communities (Plan International). Telecommunications services were restored to 86.02 percent by 16 August at 18:00 WIB, with 683 of 794 base transceiver station sites operational across 11 regencies and cities; 111 sites remained out of service due to power outages and transmission problems MPBI. Services in Alor, Lembata, and North Central Timor have been fully restored. Multiple humanitarian organizations, including World Vision, Plan International, and Indonesian Red Cross PMI, have deployed emergency assessment teams and launched response operations (World Vision, Plan International, IFRC). Provincial and district authorities are mobilizing resources for search operations, health services, internally displaced person support, basic needs provision, and infrastructure recovery under the declared emergency status.