Telecom Recovery in Flores Speeds Earthquake Relief Coordination

Labuan Bajo — — Telecommunications networks across Flores and surrounding areas were largely restored in the days after the 15 August earthquake and tsunami, with an early situation report recording 86.02 percent of sites back in operation and company data later indicating full recovery within three days.

The Indonesian Humanitarian Coordination Platform (IHCP) reported that telecommunications recovery had reached 86.02 percent in affected areas, based on figures from the Ministry of Communication and Informatics and other government data. The same report said that 683 out of 794 cellular base stations and network sites were operating, leaving 111 sites disrupted across multiple districts and cities. IHCP noted that problems with electricity supply were affecting a large share of sites and that transmission failures also contributed to the outages.

Telecommunications are central to humanitarian operations. Restored mobile and internet services allow displaced residents to contact relatives and report urgent needs, while emergency posts can share official information and coordinate requests for transport, food, water, shelter and medical assistance, according to IHCP’s situation report. Connectivity also supports logistics planning: IHCP highlighted road conditions on key corridors such as Larantuka–Maumere, Ende–Nagekeo, Ruteng–Kilometer 210 and Aegela–Ende, where landslides and damage disrupted access for relief vehicles and road crews.

IHCP’s report listed priority needs in several districts, including tents, food, drinking water, medicines, lighting equipment, generators and handheld radios for field communication. It also described national-level logistics coordination posts activated at Halim Perdanakusuma in Jakarta and in Labuan Bajo and Maumere, with Maumere designated to support operations in Sikka, Nagekeo and Ngada districts.

Telecom figures and humanitarian impact

According to IHCP, key early figures compiled from National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) data as of 17 August included 56 people reported dead, 277 injured and 11,675 displaced, alongside 4,674 homes damaged. In the same update, IHCP stated that 683 of 794 network sites were operating by 16 August at 18:00 Western Indonesia Time, with 111 sites still disrupted.

IHCP attributed many of the remaining outages to electricity supply problems affecting 701 sites and transmission issues affecting 93 sites, noting that these categories could overlap. While the report did not publish a district-by-district breakdown of the disrupted sites, it underlined that telecommunications restoration was progressing but not yet complete in the days immediately following the earthquake and tsunami.

Company-level data later pointed to a rapid completion of repairs. Telkom Indonesia stated in a corporate release from Labuan Bajo that three days after the disaster, Telkom and its operating companies had “successfully completed 100% recovery of telecommunications and digital services” affected in Nusa Tenggara Timur, and that services were again operating normally and stably. Telkom attributed earlier service degradation mainly to electricity supply problems and some equipment damage, and said it had deployed additional generators, technical teams and backup connectivity to accelerate repairs.

Mobile operator Telkomsel likewise reported that all of its sites in seven affected districts had returned to full operation by 18 August, describing “100% recovery” of its base stations and other infrastructure following intensive field work. TelkomGroup and Telkomsel said they had provided free internet access at selected posts and emergency data packages for customers, while also strengthening satellite-based connectivity at 17 locations to support areas with damaged terrestrial links.

Recovery timelines and access

The differing figures in IHCP’s 86.02 percent recovery estimate on 16 August and TelkomGroup’s claim of 100 percent restoration within three days reflect variations in measurement and reporting times. IHCP’s situation report captures a specific snapshot during the ongoing emergency, when many sites were still constrained by power and transmission issues. Telkom’s later statement describes conditions after additional repair work and deployment of backup power and satellite connectivity.

For residents and aid agencies, technically operational sites do not automatically translate into equal access or stable service in every evacuation centre or remote village. TelkomGroup noted that the restoration process depended heavily on electricity stability and physical access for technicians in areas affected by landslides and infrastructure damage.

IHCP’s description of blocked or damaged road segments and continued humanitarian needs underscores that telecommunications are one part of a broader recovery chain that also relies on passable roads, functioning power systems, available fuel and accurate information about demand.

Both sets of data nevertheless point to a rapid and substantial restoration of communications in Flores and Nusa Tenggara Timur after the 15 August earthquake and tsunami, enabling better coordination of relief operations even as significant humanitarian and infrastructure challenges persisted in the weeks that followed.

Sources

• IHCP Indonesia – Laporan Situasi #1 Gempabumi dan Tsunami di Flores dan Sekitarnya
• IHCP / ADRRN – Flash Update No. 1: Earthquake and Tsunami in Flores NTT
• Bisnis.com – Telkomsel Pastikan 100% Site Kembali Beroperasi Pascagempa di Flores
• CNBC Indonesia – Telkom Percepat Pemulihan Layanan Telekomunikasi Pascagempa NTT
• Kabarnusa – Telkomsel Tuntaskan Pemulihan 100 Persen Infrastruktur Telekomunikasi Pascagempa Flores
• Telkom Indonesia – Konektivitas Digital Kembali Normal 100%, TelkomGroup Tuntaskan Perbaikan Infrastruktur Pascagempa NTT
• CNN Indonesia – Gempa NTT: Telkom Akses Turunkan 150 Teknisi, Layanan Siaga 24 Jam
• Okezone – BNPB Ungkap 94 Korban Gempa M7,7 Flores Meninggal di Pengungsian