Kadin NTT urges broad Flores economic recovery after August quake

Ende — — The East Nusa Tenggara Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin NTT) is calling for an accelerated economic recovery program for Flores following the August 2026 earthquake, combining business sector consolidation with social assistance across the island, according to interviews and reports carried by public broadcaster RRI and local outlet Sergap in early September 2026.

Kadin NTT chair Bobby Lianto told RRI on 10 September that the inauguration of new district-level administrators was being used as a moment to launch social action and outline economic recovery measures for communities and businesses affected by the quake.

RRI reports that since 7 September 2026, Kadin NTT has been on a road trip across Flores, distributing basic food packages, tarpaulins and blankets to residents in several areas. Sergap notes that the journey began in Ende on 7 September and continued to Bajawa on 8 September, East Manggarai on 9 September and Manggarai on 10 September, combining the installation of local Kadin boards with aid deliveries to earthquake-hit communities.

Both outlets describe the quake as having disrupted social life and business activity across Flores, with Kadin NTT positioning itself as a coordinator of private-sector support alongside government-led rehabilitation efforts.

Recovery agenda spans tourism, trade and infrastructure

Lianto told RRI that recovery should not stop at rebuilding damaged physical structures, but extend to revitalising key economic sectors. He highlighted the need to strengthen tourism, hotels, construction, housing, trade and goods distribution so that post-quake efforts translate into a broader rebound in community income rather than only physical reconstruction.

According to RRI, Kadin NTT sees the restoration of ports and distribution routes as essential to restarting commodity flows from Flores to other islands and stabilising supplies coming into the region. Lianto said recovery would need to be phased in line with the condition of infrastructure and transport links, signalling that logistics constraints will shape how quickly businesses can resume full operations.

The reports do not specify which ports sustained damage, the value of losses or detailed repair timelines. However, broader coverage of the disaster notes that the earthquake damaged facilities in Ruteng and forced health services and some government operations to relocate to temporary sites.

Agricultural investment aimed at medium-term income

Beyond immediate relief, Kadin NTT is preparing agricultural support that it expects to generate household income over a two- to three-year horizon. RRI reports that the chamber is procuring millions of improved coffee and cocoa seedlings for several districts in Flores, using grafting techniques to raise productivity.

The seedlings are expected to begin distribution by the end of 2026, with Lianto projecting that they could become a source of community income within two to three years. The programme is presented as part of a longer-term strategy to reinforce plantations and diversify livelihoods in quake-affected areas.

Official provincial communications indicate that agriculture is one of the sectors targeted in wider recovery planning. The NTT provincial agriculture service has reported accompanying the governor to Ngada to review post-quake conditions, collect damage data and discuss rehabilitation measures for farmers and other affected groups.

Temporary hospital highlights ongoing emergency needs

While Kadin NTT promotes an economic roadmap, it also reports urgent needs at a temporary hospital near Frans Sales Lega Airport in Manggarai. RRI notes that the facility, established after damage to the main hospital in Ruteng, operates in medical tents and faces basic comfort challenges for patients.

Lianto told RRI that several treatment tents lacked air conditioning, leaving patients, including children, in uncomfortable heat. He said Kadin NTT was working to provide standing air conditioners for four tents to improve conditions at the site.

Separate reporting from NTT Viva and TribunFlores confirms that the field hospital at Frans Sales Lega Airport has been handling dozens of patients evacuated from the damaged Ruteng hospital, and has faced issues including rain intrusion into tents before drainage and coverings were improved.

Business role within broader government recovery plans

Kadin NTT’s appeal for economic recovery comes as provincial and national authorities draft more comprehensive rehabilitation programmes for Flores.

RRI coverage of the NTT government’s budget revision plans states that the province is prioritising the repair of public facilities, schools and damaged housing, alongside measures to restore community economic activity. In parallel, the national planning ministry and NTT provincial government are preparing a master plan for rehabilitation and reconstruction across seven quake-affected districts on the island.

In this context, Kadin NTT is urging newly installed district administrators to work closely with local governments and business associations to revive trade, tourism and production in their respective areas. The chamber’s mix of emergency aid, infrastructure advocacy and agricultural investment proposals underscores the scale of coordination it says is needed to prevent the disaster’s impact from evolving into a prolonged downturn in Flores’s economy.

Sources

• RRI Ende – "Kadin NTT Dorong Pemulihan Ekonomi Flores Pascagempa"
• Sergap – "Road Trip KADIN NTT, Lantik Pengurus di Empat Kabupaten Sekaligus Salurkan Bantuan Gempa Flores"
• NTT Viva – "RSL Pengganti RSUD Ruteng Bocor Diguyur Hujan, Pasien Sempat Panik"
• TribunFlores – "Bukan Sekadar Tenda, RS Lapangan Frans Sales Lega Ruteng Sudah Tangani 151 Korban Gempa"
• Wikipedia Indonesia – "Gempa bumi Flores 2026"
• Dinas Pertanian dan Ketahanan Pangan Provinsi NTT – "Koordinasi Pemulihan Pascagempa Flores, Kadis Pertanian NTT Dampingi Gubernur di Ngada dan Tinjau Aset Pemp
• Detik – "Menteri PPN-Pemprov NTT Susun Rencana Pemulihan 7 Kabupaten Pascagempa Flores"