Bank NTT keeps aid flowing after Ruteng branch damage in Flores quake

Ruteng — Bank NTT said it continued helping earthquake victims in Manggarai even after its Ruteng branch was heavily damaged in the 15 August 2026 Flores quake, according to local reporting and a regional government update.

Bank NTT’s Ruteng office suffered severe damage and the bank needs a temporary location for customer service while repairs are carried out, local media reported on 24 August, citing Bank NTT officials. The same report said the bank thanked the Manggarai regency government for allowing it to use the public sports hall, or GOR, as a temporary office.

A separate report from the East Nusa Tenggara provincial government on 19 August said deputy governor Johni Asadoma visited the Bank NTT Ruteng office and the Manggarai regency complex while checking that public services in Flores kept running after the quake. The update supports the conclusion that the branch was among the facilities affected in Ruteng.

The quake struck Flores on 15 August 2026 and caused damage across Manggarai and nearby areas, including public buildings and transport facilities, according to multiple reports. BMKG later recorded the event as a magnitude 7.7 earthquake offshore of Flores, with shaking felt in Ruteng and other parts of the region.

Temporary services

The 24 August report did not specify the value or type of aid Bank NTT distributed in Manggarai. It also did not give a full service schedule for the Ruteng branch, but it did say the bank would continue serving customers from a temporary site while the damaged office is repaired.

For residents, businesses and aid recipients, that means routine transactions in Ruteng are likely to depend on the bank’s temporary arrangements until the branch reopens fully. The public reports reviewed do not list a hotline, opening hours or the exact start date for the temporary office.

What is clear

Bank NTT’s Ruteng office was damaged by the 15 August earthquake, and the bank is continuing relief efforts in Manggarai while preparing a temporary service location, according to the two reports. The provincial government update and the local report are consistent on the main point: banking services in Ruteng were disrupted, but not halted entirely.

Bank NTT officials said the damage was significant enough that repairs could take months, and the temporary GOR arrangement would bridge that gap. No official public notice seen in the reviewed material provided a customer-facing timetable for repairs.

As recovery work continues, the key issue for Manggarai customers is where and how to access cash withdrawals, transfers and other banking services. The reports reviewed confirm only that a temporary office was being arranged and that the branch had suffered serious physical damage.

Background

The 15 August earthquake triggered widespread damage across Flores and surrounding areas, with official and media reports showing impacts on homes, public offices and infrastructure in Manggarai. Bank NTT’s Ruteng branch was one of the facilities affected.

Further updates from the bank or local authorities will be needed to confirm when normal operations resume and whether any additional service points are opened in Manggarai.

Sources

• KataNTT
• Government of East Nusa Tenggara Province