Caritas coordinates Flores relief across four dioceses after Aug. 15 quake

Labuan Bajo — Caritas Indonesia has mobilized diocesan teams across Flores after the Aug. 15 magnitude 7.7 earthquake, coordinating emergency assistance, damage assessments and evacuation support in the Archdiocese of Ende and the dioceses of Maumere, Ruteng and Labuan Bajo, according to Vatican News and Fides.

Vatican News reported on Aug. 16 that Caritas Indonesia immediately coordinated with the dioceses of Ruteng, Labuan Bajo, Kupang, Maumere and Ende, and said volunteers and Caritas teams were already assisting evacuation efforts and monitoring conditions on the ground. Fides later reported that Caritas operational centers were active across Flores, with the four dioceses of Ende, Maumere, Ruteng and Labuan Bajo coordinating humanitarian assistance.

The earthquake struck Flores early on Aug. 15 and caused widespread damage across East Nusa Tenggara, including damaged homes, schools, churches and public buildings, according to Vatican News and Fides. Vatican News said the epicenter was about 30 kilometers northeast of Mbay in Nagekeo Regency, while Fides said the Diocese of Ruteng was among the hardest hit areas.

Caritas said its response relied on parish networks, diocesan institutions and trained volunteers to collect damage reports, organize aid and support displaced residents, according to the church outlets. Vatican News also reported that the response included evacuation support and assistance for affected communities in the early phase of the disaster.

In Ruteng, Fides reported that diocesan and parish teams had opened tents and assistance points, including at Ruteng Regional Hospital, to support patients and people displaced by aftershocks. Fides quoted Bishop Siprianus Hormat as saying the Church’s resilience rests on “social capital and presence,” a description he used to frame the local relief effort.

The broader humanitarian response also included coordination with local Caritas and church structures in Ende and Maumere, while Labuan Bajo focused on emergency shelter and psychosocial support, according to LICAS and Vatican News. LICAS reported that Caritas Indonesia activated humanitarian service posts in the affected dioceses and deployed response volunteers across the island.

The earthquake’s toll changed repeatedly in the days after the disaster. BBC reported on Aug. 15 that BNPB had confirmed 53 deaths and about 5,000 displaced people at that stage, while Tempo reported on Aug. 21 that the official death toll had risen to 83 and displacement to 110,785. Later reporting by Tempo on Aug. 24 said BNPB put the death toll at 100 and the number displaced at 180,327.

For church relief, the key confirmed picture is that Caritas Indonesia coordinated a multi-diocese response spanning Ende, Maumere, Ruteng and Labuan Bajo, with logistics support routed through Kupang and Surabaya, according to LICAS and Vatican News. The relief effort remained focused on shelter, water, food, bedding, hygiene items, hospital protection and psychosocial support as communities continued to recover from aftershocks and damage.

Sources

• Vatican News
• Fides News Agency
• LICAS News
• BBC News
• Tempo