NTT Governor: North Flores Region Most Affected by Magnitude 7.7 Earthquake

KUPANG - East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) Governor Melki Laka Lena said the northern Flores island area was most affected by the 7.7 magnitude earthquake centered in Mbay City, Nagekeo Regency.

"The earthquake in Mbay has the largest impact in the northern Flores region, starting from Maumere, Ngada, Manggarai and its center in Nagekeo," he said as quoted by ANTARA, Saturday, August 15.

This was conveyed by him when holding a press conference with related agencies and a number of Forkompimda ranging from the TNI and Polri at the NTT Police Headquarters.

Currently, the exact data on the damage and casualties caused by the earthquake is still being recorded by the local government on the island of Flores.

Melki said that since this morning he had contacted a number of regional heads in Flores to record the damage that had occurred in their respective areas.

"I have contacted the regents of the mainland of Flores with the current conditions, immediately check the conditions in each area to provide damage data to the provincial government," he added.

The disaster in Flores was said by the governor to have been a concern of President Prabowo, and a number of ministers had been ordered to directly review the location of the disaster.

The NTT Provincial Government has also been asked to immediately check the data so that the distribution of assistance can be immediately distributed to the disaster location.

Currently, he added, the provincial government's focus is on evacuating earthquake disaster victims to a safe place.

"I ask that supermarket stores in disaster locations can distribute food to victims, and the government will compensate, while waiting for the distribution of assistance," he added.

Furthermore, he said that this afternoon using the police plane, he would directly review the disaster location both in Maumere and in several locations in Flores.