History of the Flores Tsunami: Traces of the Early Government of Indonesia to Establish a National Disaster

JAKARTA - The Flores earthquake and tsunami shocked all of Indonesia. The disaster that appeared in December 1992 claimed many victims. The disaster destroyed most of the island of Flores - especially the city of Maumere in Sikka Regency.

Many buildings were destroyed. Not to mention many areas were isolated because of damaged roads. Soeharto and the New Order moved quickly. They then established the Flores disaster status as the first national disaster in Indonesia.

The disaster of a major earthquake and tsunami is the most feared thing to happen in Indonesia. This condition is because people not only survive a major earthquake, but also from a huge wave that almost reaches 36 meters.

The narrative is the incident on the island of Flores on December 12, 1992. The earthquake and tsunami disaster made most of the island of Flores devastated. All of this was because of an earthquake with a magnitude of 7.5 Richter Scale (SR) and a tsunami hit. Four districts also felt the wrath of the disaster - Sikka, Ngada, Ende, and East Flores.

Those who died reached two thousand souls. Tens of thousands of houses were destroyed. Not to mention many schools, offices, and places of worship that were severely damaged. Economic activities were almost dead. Flores residents were busy saving what could still be saved.

The most severe area is Maumere City. The city, which is in Sikka Regency, has the most victims: 1,100 people died. Hundreds of others suffered serious injuries.

This condition has made hospitals in Maumere crowded. Those who are victims cannot be fully accommodated in hospitals. Many are placed in the hospital corridor. This view makes Maumere like a dead city.

The same condition also occurred on small islands around Maumere such as Babi Island and Big Pamana Island. Two islands with a population of 2 thousand people were able to be swept clean by the Tsunami. This condition created panic everywhere.

"Maumere seems to be suffering the most. About 1,100 people who died were from that poor fishing area. And hundreds of others suffered serious injuries. Even the hospital in Maumere was forced to lay down patients who were sick in the corridors of the wards," said Toriq Hadad in his article in the Tempo magazine titled "Kiamat in the Morning" (1992).

News of the great earthquake and the Flores Tsunami spread everywhere. The Soeharto government and the New Order (Orba) immediately responded by taking quick action. Immediate assistance was sent. President Soeharto immediately declared the great earthquake and Flores Tsunami disaster as a national disaster.

The determination was contained in Presidential Decree (Keppres) Number 66 of 1992 concerning the Determination of Natural Disasters in Flores as a National Disaster on December 16, 1992. Or shortly after the disaster occurred.

The decision made the Flores earthquake and tsunami the first National Disaster designation in Indonesia. The mandate from the National Disaster status brought positive energy for disaster management in Flores. President Soeharto asked the ranks to focus on disaster management efforts.

Everything is related to the allocation of large budgets, command, to resource issues for interception. The decision was greeted with joy by all Indonesian people. The decision made all people forget the national political turmoil to unite to help disaster victims.

As a result, assistance began to arrive from within and outside the country to Flores. World leaders also came to express their condolences for the disaster in Flores. Soeharto and his entourage also monitored directly to Flores Island on December 23, 1992.

Soeharto, who came with his wife, Siti Hartinah (Tien's mother), saw the damage from the tsunami. He witnessed the sadness of disaster victims who were left by their families.

He also witnessed many buildings being severely damaged. He also immediately saw how cooperation between state institutions was united in the effort to overcome the Flores disaster.

"The assistance from Australia was sent by a special plane. Statements of concern over this heartbreaking disaster came from everywhere, including from Pope John Paul II. The same statement also came from the Crown Prince of the Kingdom of Jordan El Hasan Ibnu Talal. King Fahd Bin Abdul Azis of Saudi Arabia prayed that the deceased victims would receive God's mercy. "

The Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) appealed to Indonesian Muslims to pool humanitarian funds to help people affected by disasters in Flores. The Central Management of Muhammadiyah even immediately sent a humanitarian aid team consisting of three doctors and six nurses with equipment and medicines - to the earthquake area," said Wahyudi Muryadi and friends in their writing in Tempo magazine titled Disaster and Aid on the Flower Island (1992).