Small Boat Volunteers Deliver Two Tonnes of Aid Off Labuan Bajo

Labuan Bajo — A small volunteer team moved around two tonnes of relief supplies by boat to island communities off Labuan Bajo in late August, navigating rough seas and tight tidal windows to reach residents affected by the mid-August earthquake in East Nusa Tenggara.

The account of the operation was described by volunteer Haerul in a feature published by Metro TV News, which said the team transported about two tonnes of aid to Selayar Besar and Selayar Kecil — also referred to as Seraya Besar and Seraya Kecil — using a wooden fishing boat rather than a larger vessel typically used for heavy cargo.

According to the Metro TV News report, the volunteers departed from the Labuan Bajo waterfront in the morning, heading first to the smaller of the two islands. The journey took around 90 minutes, and residents met the boat on arrival, helping to unload the supplies at the jetty before moving them to safer ground inland.

The report said distribution on the first island was tailored to around 50 households. On the second island, the volunteers delivered supplies to a community of about 179 affected households. At both locations, they met with local community representatives and carried out a symbolic handover before returning to Labuan Bajo.

Tidal constraints and sea conditions

Haerul’s account highlighted how tides and local sea conditions shaped the operation. The volunteers worked within a narrow time window, aware that tidal changes later in the morning could leave their small boat stranded at the islands for hours.

The Metro TV News feature described the sea state as challenging for the volunteers, who were less familiar with the route and conditions. Local fishers, by contrast, reportedly judged the seas as manageable based on their experience sailing around the Komodo district.

The choice of vessel underscored the logistical constraints facing island communities near Labuan Bajo.

With no medium-sized ship available for the trip, the team relied on a small fishing boat to move heavy relief supplies and coordinated the unloading with residents at the jetties to complete the mission safely.

Earthquake and island impacts

The volunteer operation took place in the aftermath of a magnitude 7.7 earthquake that struck Nusa Tenggara Timur on 15 August 2026, prompting tsunami warnings and widespread evacuations across the region. National disaster agency data cited in Indonesian media reported dozens of fatalities and large-scale damage across multiple districts, with Labuan Bajo serving as a major logistics hub for incoming aid.

Metro TV News reported that residents on the two islands evacuated to higher ground after the quake because of tsunami fears. According to the same account, they stayed near Mount Bontoharu for about three days before returning to their homes once conditions appeared safer.

Haerul’s narrative said houses on the islands suffered light to moderate damage, with four homes reported to have collapsed. The report did not mention any fatalities on Selayar Besar or Selayar Kecil.

Key figures from the volunteer account

• Relief supplies transported: around two tonnes by small boat.
• Selayar Kecil (Seraya Kecil): roughly 50 households served.
• Selayar Besar (Seraya Besar): about 179 affected households.
• Volunteer team: five people.

Broader relief efforts

The small-boat delivery formed part of a wider relief effort for communities affected by the Flores earthquake.

The national disaster agency and partners reported sending more than a thousand tonnes of logistics through Labuan Bajo and Maumere in the first two weeks after the quake, including food, shelter materials and medical support.

Separate government releases mentioned specific shipments to island areas off Manggarai Barat, including rice deliveries to Seraya Island using police vessels, illustrating ongoing support to remote coastal communities.

Sources

• Metro TV News – "Cerita Penyaluran 2 Ton Bantuan di Labuan Bajo"
• BPOLBF (Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy) – "Pemkab Manggarai Barat bersama Stakeholder Terkait Salurkan Bantuan Sosial bagi Masyarakat Terdampak Gempa
• Kumparan – "Gempa 7,7 Magnitudo Guncang NTT: Kronologi dan Fakta Terbaru"
• Media Indonesia – "BNPB Salurkan 1.911 Ton Logistik untuk Bantuan Korban Gempa NTT"
• TVRI News – "BNPB Perbarui Data Korban Gempa NTT: 48 Orang Meninggal"