NTT quake damaged 20 roads and 14 bridges, deputy PU minister says
Indonesia’s deputy public works minister says a preliminary assessment found damage to 20 road sections and 14 bridges in earthquake-affected parts of East Nusa Tenggara.
Editor: Mursyid Sonsang
· Event date: · 4 min read
Labuan Bajo — — A preliminary assessment by Indonesia’s Ministry of Public Works recorded damage to 20 road sections and 14 bridges after an earthquake affected parts of East Nusa Tenggara, Deputy Public Works Minister Diana Kusumastuti said in Labuan Bajo on Tuesday, 15 September 2026, according to RRI.
RRI reported that the figures come from initial data collection by the ministry on infrastructure affected by the earthquake in NTT. The assessment covers roads, bridges and other public works facilities, but the published account does not list the specific locations or names of the damaged sections.
Based on the RRI report, the preliminary findings include:
- 20 road sections reported damaged
- 14 bridges reported damaged
- National roads in the affected area generally usable after landslide debris was cleared
Access on national and local roads
According to RRI, Kusumastuti said national roads in the affected area remained relatively usable, with the main disruption coming from landslide material covering the road surface. She said response teams removed the landslide material so that traffic could resume.
Other coverage of the post-earthquake response by the Ministry of Public Works indicates that national corridors are a priority for emergency access. Media Indonesia reported that ministry data showed damage on 17 national road sections, with 88 landslide points and three fractures, and that all affected national roads and bridges had been restored to function within about two weeks to secure evacuation and logistics routes.
The situation is less clear for roads under provincial and district authority. Kusumastuti said further checks were needed on local-government roads to determine the extent of damage and necessary repairs, according to RRI. Travellers and operators transporting aid or goods are therefore advised to confirm local road and bridge conditions with regional authorities before departure.
Separate reporting from a national outlet cited ministry data showing 94 damage points on roads and bridges in NTT, including 75 landslides, three collapsed sections and 16 bridges or culverts, and stated that 15 affected national road corridors remained generally functional for vehicles and fuel and logistics distribution. These figures refer to broader damage mapping, while Kusumastuti’s remarks in Labuan Bajo highlighted the subset of 20 damaged road sections and 14 bridges recorded in the ministry’s preliminary assessment presented there.
Repairs and basic services
RRI reported that the ministry’s assessment also covered other infrastructure such as irrigation areas, weirs and drinking-water facilities, although Kusumastuti did not provide detailed damage totals for those assets in her remarks. She said the results of the assessment would be used to determine handling and repair plans, with responsibilities divided between central and regional governments according to damage severity and the level of authority over each facility.
According to RRI, the ministry also prepared support for basic needs in affected areas, including deliveries of clean water using tanker trucks. The outlet did not specify delivery routes, schedules or volumes but framed the measures as part of the ministry’s rapid response to maintain access and essential services after the earthquake.
Meeting in Labuan Bajo
RRI reported that Kusumastuti presented the preliminary infrastructure findings in Labuan Bajo while attending the national meeting of the Indonesian Architects Association (Ikatan Arsitek Indonesia, IAI) at the Crowne Plaza Labuan Bajo in West Manggarai on Tuesday, 15 September 2026. In that forum she linked the Flores and NTT earthquake experience to the need for more resilient construction standards in disaster-prone regions.
The figures she cited — 20 damaged road sections and 14 damaged bridges — are therefore best understood as an early inventory from the Ministry of Public Works’ assessment, to be refined as inspections continue on local roads and other infrastructure in the affected districts.
Sources
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