Ombudsman reports shelter and learning-tent gaps after Flores earthquake

Ruteng — Indonesia’s Ombudsman reported on 2 October 2026 that earthquake-affected communities in Manggarai and West Manggarai still faced unfinished temporary housing and too few emergency tents for school lessons.

Why it matters: Residents affected by the 15 August earthquake still face shelter and schooling gaps in two districts, while officials are urged to accelerate temporary housing before the rainy season.

The findings followed field monitoring from 28 September to 1 October and a coordination meeting in Ruteng involving the Ombudsman, the provincial and district governments, and the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB), according to RRI.

Ombudsman commissioner Robert Na Endi Jaweng said many temporary shelters had not been built, leaving residents in command-post tents for more than a month and exposing them to health and social problems as the rainy season approached, Pos-Kupang reported.

The monitoring also identified limited learning tents at schools. The Ombudsman urged BNPB and local governments to accelerate temporary-housing construction.

Jaweng said each district could prioritise a 20 billion rupiah presidential emergency-assistance allocation through its unexpected-expenditure budget to support temporary housing and improve emergency posts, according to Pos-Kupang.

The needs followed the 7.7-magnitude Flores earthquake on 15 August 2026, which affected Manggarai and West Manggarai among other districts, according to a United Nations protection briefing.

What the findings mean

The report points to continuing gaps in shelter and education services for displaced residents. The sources do not report a new park closure, travel restriction or deadline arising from the 2 October meeting.

Sources

• Pos-Kupang
• RRI
• United Nations in Indonesia