NTT Water Police Deliver 2.5 Tonnes of Rice to Papagarang Island

Labuan Bajo — The water and air police unit of the East Nusa Tenggara Regional Police (Ditpolairud Polda NTT) used patrol vessel KPC XXII-2007 to deliver emergency supplies, including 2.5 tonnes of rice, from Marina Labuan Bajo to Papagarang Island on Monday, 24 August 2026, for residents affected by the Flores earthquake, according to regional media ExpoNTT.

The patrol boat departed Marina Labuan Bajo at about 3:40 p.m. WITA and arrived at Papagarang Harbour around 4:40 p.m. WITA. Police personnel then unloaded the cargo and began distributing it to island residents before the vessel departed back to Labuan Bajo at roughly 5:00 p.m. WITA.

The assistance formed part of continuing logistics support for coastal and island communities in West Manggarai Regency following the strong quake that struck Nusa Tenggara Timur on 15 August 2026. Regional and national agencies have been moving food, shelter materials and other supplies across Flores and nearby islands to stabilise conditions while a 14-day emergency response remains in force.

Cargo for Papagarang

ExpoNTT reported that the Papagarang shipment was dominated by rice supplied by the regional government. The outlet listed the contents as:

• 2,500 kilograms of rice delivered from government stocks
• 25 boxes of instant noodles
• Five thin mattresses and 15 blankets
• One sack of assorted goods
• 10 boxes of tissue products
• Four boxes of mineral water
• Five boxes of biscuits.

The report described the delivery as an effort to meet minimum basic needs and ease the burden on Papagarang residents affected by the disaster. It noted that coastal communities, including those on small islands, were among the target areas for food assistance and basic supplies.

ExpoNTT identified the agency in charge of the mission as Polairud Polda NTT and the vessel as KPC XXII-2007. The report did not name specific officers, local disaster-management officials or community representatives involved in receiving the goods.

Part of a wider emergency response

The Papagarang run sits within a broader relief operation for Flores and surrounding islands after the magnitude 7.7 earthquake centred near Nagekeo Regency on 15 August 2026. The provincial government declared an emergency response period from 15 to 28 August 2026.

National ministries and state-owned companies have channelled significant quantities of food and other aid into affected districts. The Ministry of Agriculture and the National Food Agency reported that around 861.5 tonnes of rice had been allocated for earthquake response in five hard-hit regencies including Manggarai and Manggarai Barat, with additional regular food assistance bringing total allocations in those areas above 6,600 tonnes.

Separately, the NTT office of Perum Bulog, the state logistics agency, said it had moved hundreds of tonnes of government rice reserves into seven affected Flores regencies, including Manggarai Barat, to support emergency food needs.

Other institutions have supplied additional commodities, from staple foods and shelter equipment to specialised items. The Ministry of Social Affairs reported logistics assistance worth about Rp14.65 billion, including regular rice distributions and thousands of basic food packages for NTT. Corporate and regional donors have contributed further shipments, such as 2.5 tonnes of humanitarian aid from PT Freeport Indonesia and 2.2 tonnes of rendang from the West Sumatra provincial government for communities in NTT.

Island access and remaining questions

The Papagarang voyage illustrates how emergency logistics must bridge the gap between mainland supply hubs and small islands using marine patrol assets and scheduled crossings. In this case, the one-hour passage from Labuan Bajo, rapid unloading and same-afternoon return suggest that sea conditions and harbour access were adequate for a fast delivery.

The available account focuses on route, timing and cargo, and does not provide a detailed needs assessment for Papagarang. It does not state how many households were served, how the items were allocated per family, or whether medical support, longer-term shelter materials or further shipments were planned specifically for the island. However, ExpoNTT reported that aid distribution to other coastal areas affected by the earthquake in West Manggarai was scheduled to continue on Tuesday, 25 August 2026.

Sources

• ExpoNTT
• CNN Indonesia
• Perum Bulog NTT via NTT Provincial Agriculture and Food Service
• RRI NTT
• detikNews