PUPR still compiling NTT quake damage inventory, deputy minister says

Labuan Bajo — Indonesia’s Public Works and Public Housing Ministry (PUPR) is still identifying damage to roads and public buildings caused by the August 2026 earthquake in East Nusa Tenggara, and has yet to release a consolidated total of affected infrastructure or financial losses as of mid-September 2026, according to Deputy Minister Diana Kusumastuti.

Speaking to reporters at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta on Monday, 17 August 2026, Diana said technical teams from the ministry were working with other government agencies at disaster sites in NTT to map damage and support emergency response. "Ini sedang kita identifikasi … laporannya sedang disusun," she said, noting that a formal report on the scale of damage was still being prepared and she did not yet have detailed figures to share, according to coverage by national business media.

According to the same reports, the ministry’s initial focus has been on public infrastructure such as roads, bridges and public buildings, including facilities supporting key tourism destinations in NTT. Early field information indicated damage to several public facilities and disruptions to regional connectivity before roads could be cleared or reopened.

What officials have confirmed

National outlets reporting on the government’s response to the NTT quake quote Diana as saying that ministry teams, together with the Public Works Minister and the Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Cultural Affairs, are on the ground assessing damage. She said the identification of affected infrastructure is ongoing and that the full findings will be compiled into an official report.

Separate English-language coverage of the earthquake response states that the deputy minister described significant damage to buildings, particularly on Rinca and Padar islands, and landslides that blocked roads before cleanup operations began. The ministry has deployed personnel and heavy equipment to clear debris and restore transportation access on priority routes.

As of the latest reporting cited, PUPR has confirmed categories of affected infrastructure but not a comprehensive inventory. According to national business media, the ministry has not announced the total number of damaged structures or an official estimate of financial losses, and detailed data on port facilities is handled by the Transport Ministry.

• Identified categories of damage include roads, bridges and public buildings, with additional attention to infrastructure supporting major tourism areas.
• Some road sections experienced landslide blockages and other disruptions, with clearance and temporary repairs underway to maintain connectivity.
• Buildings on Rinca and Padar islands were reported as heavily damaged or collapsed, with detailed building-by-building assessments still being compiled.
• No official consolidated figure for total damaged infrastructure or estimated economic losses has yet been made public in the cited reports.

For travellers and residents in NTT, the available official and media information indicates that access on key routes has been a priority for government crews, but does not establish conditions on every local road or facility. Authorities advise people heading to affected areas to seek up-to-date information from local governments, transport operators or site managers.

Assessment guiding reconstruction plans

Diana has linked the identification process to subsequent rehabilitation and reconstruction planning. In interviews with regional media during a national architects’ meeting in Labuan Bajo on 15 September 2026, she said damage mapping is needed before rebuilding can proceed, particularly for housing and heavily affected structures. She indicated that light damage repairs have begun, while medium and severe damage require technical planning and may be scheduled over a longer timeframe, with reconstruction of heavily damaged homes expected around 2027.

Government statements and media reports describe a staged recovery effort: emergency actions to reopen roads and ensure basic services, followed by detailed assessments of damaged infrastructure and preparation of reconstruction programs. PUPR’s ongoing inventory will help set priorities for strengthening bridges, roads and public buildings to better withstand future disasters, with officials emphasizing more resilient standards in NTT and Flores.

While core national routes have been a focus of clearance and repair work, publicly available reports do not list every affected road or building, nor do they specify the operational status of each route serving Labuan Bajo, Rinca or Padar. Officials have said the full picture of infrastructure damage and reconstruction timelines will only be clear once the ministry’s assessment is completed and formally released.

Sources

• Kontan Nasional – Jalan dan Bangunan Rusak Akibat Gempa NTT, Kementerian PU Pendataan Masih Berjalan
• Bisnis.com – Kementerian PU Identifikasi Sejumlah Titik Terdampak Gempa NTT
• Cabinet Secretariat of the Republic of Indonesia – Government Restores Roads and Bridges to Support NTT Earthquake Recovery
• Wikipedia – 2026 Flores earthquake
• VOI – NTT Earthquake, BNPB Activates Post and Focus on Evacuation of Victims Trapped
• RRI – Govt Moves Swiftly to Address Impact of M7.7 Earthquake in East Nusa Tenggara
• Tribun Flores – Wamen PUPR Sebut Rekonstruksi Rumah Rusak Berat Pascagempa Diperkirakan 2027
• Eljohn Media – Government Priorize the evacuation and restoration of infrastructure in NTT after the earthquake