Ngada Enters Recovery Transition, Plans Public Review of Earthquake Damage

Bajawa — Ngada district in East Nusa Tenggara has moved from emergency response into an emergency-to-recovery transition, with authorities preparing public reviews of earthquake damage data for houses affected by the 15 August Flores earthquake, according to local government statements and regional media reports.

The transition status for Ngada took effect on 16 September 2026, following a regent’s decree that ended the formal emergency-response period and reclassified the disaster phase as an emergency transition toward recovery, according to a report from FloresPos.net and regional outlet Tribun Flores.

Officials say the verified damage data will guide subsequent rehabilitation and reconstruction decisions for housing in the district.

Public verification of damage classifications

FloresPos.net reported that the Ngada government is organizing public verification of damage records across 12 subdistricts, beginning Wednesday, 16 September 2026.

The process will allow residents to review and confirm how their houses have been classified following the earthquake, which struck Flores on 15 August and was recorded by Indonesia’s Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) as a major tectonic event that affected several districts including Ngada.

According to FloresPos.net and Tribun Flores, houses in Ngada are being categorized as heavily damaged, moderately damaged, lightly damaged or not meeting the criteria for disaster-related damage.

The public review aims to reconfirm the classifications produced through earlier field verification, so that the final dataset reflects both technical assessments and community input before recovery assistance is allocated.

Regional and national authorities have linked these verification and public review processes to broader post-disaster management rules, with the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) stating in separate communications that verified housing data in Flores must go through public scrutiny before being used as a basis for aid and rebuilding decisions.

Coordination ahead of the public review

Prior to the start of the public review, FloresPos.net reported that Ngada Regent Raymundus Bena and representatives from BNPB held a coordination meeting with local government departments involved in post-earthquake housing assessments.

The meeting, held at the regent’s official residence, was used to align technical procedures and interpretations, so that verification and public consultations could proceed in an orderly and transparent way and remain consistent with post-disaster regulations.

Officials emphasized that communities would be given an opportunity to check the recorded information on house damage and raise any concerns regarding their classification during the review period.

Earthquake impact and recovery framework

BMKG data show that the 15 August 2026 earthquake off the coast of Flores reached intensity levels of VI–VII on the Modified Mercalli scale in parts of Ngada, including Riung and Bajawa, where shaking was strong enough to cause structural damage to buildings.

National and regional media have reported that BNPB teams and local governments are continuing verification and validation of housing damage across Flores, with data from multiple districts being compiled to inform recovery plans.

In Ngada, FloresPos.net and other outlets describe a shift in focus from immediate emergency measures such as basic relief and temporary support toward more structured recovery efforts based on confirmed damage data.

The public verification step in Ngada is part of that transition, positioned between technical field assessments and the final determination of rehabilitation and reconstruction assistance for affected households.

Sources

• Tribun Flores (regional edition)
• BMKG official earthquake information
• FloresPos.net