Flores quake victims demand govt accountability over slow disaster response

Civil society groups in Indonesia are expressing growing concerns over the slow response to the aftermath of a powerful earthquake that struck Flores Island, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), in August. The magnitude 7.7 quake claimed the lives of 48 people, but two months later, conditions in evacuation shelters remain dire, with limited access to essential resources such as food, clothing, sanitation, healthcare, and infrastructure like schools.

Christine Constanta, legal manager of the Indonesian Forum for the Environment (WALHI), warned that the situation constitutes a humanitarian crisis and a form of state negligence.

According to WALHI, 108 people died while residing in evacuation shelters in late September. However, not all displaced residents have been accommodated properly, leading some to construct around 450 makeshift tents in Ende, one of the affected regencies. These self-built shelters are not included in the National Disaster Mitigation Agency’s (BNPB) evacuee data, leaving their occupants without necessary assistance.

The BNPB's NTT earthquake response dashboard, accessed on Wednesday, reported approximately 28,000 displaced residents in the province, primarily sheltered in East Manggarai, Manggarai, and Sikka. Ende was conspicuously absent from the list. The BNPB previously clarified that the majority of deaths occurred among elderly residents due to preexisting chronic illnesses, such as strokes and diabetes. The agency stated that health authorities provided maximum medical care.

Critics argue that the slow response and inadequate assistance have exacerbated the suffering of the affected population. They demand accountability from President Prabowo Subianto's administration for its negligence in managing the disaster.