[Update: 23 Aug 2026]

Stand with affected families as they recover and rebuild.

On 15 August 2026, a powerful magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck near Nagekeo Regency in East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia. The earthquake caused widespread damage across the region, affecting thousands of families and damaging homes, schools, healthcare facilities, government buildings, places of worship, and other essential infrastructure.

A Disaster Emergency Response Status has been declared for East Nusa Tenggara Province and six affected regencies. Aftershocks are continuing, and communities have been advised to remain cautious and avoid buildings that are damaged or potentially unstable.

Human Initiative is responding through emergency coordination, relief distribution, community kitchens, communication support, and response posts across the affected areas.

 

 

Disaster Impact

According to Human Initiative Situation Report #4, based on information compiled as of 20 August 2026, the earthquake has had a severe humanitarian impact:

  • 18,019 households affected
  • 72 fatalities
  • 900 people injured
  • 82,691 people displaced
  • 29,001 houses damaged

The reported housing damage includes:

  • 11,699 houses severely damaged
  • 6,542 houses moderately damaged
  • 10,760 houses lightly damaged

These figures may continue to change as authorities and humanitarian teams verify information from affected communities.

 

 

Damage to Public Facilities

The earthquake also caused extensive damage to public and community infrastructure. Reported affected facilities include:

  • 804 schools
  • 237 healthcare facilities
  • 373 government offices and public facilities
  • 195 places of worship

Damage to homes and essential facilities has disrupted access to education, healthcare, public services, and safe living spaces. Many displaced families continue to require shelter, food, clean water, sanitation services, and other essential assistance.

 

 

Access, Electricity, and Emergency Coordination

Electricity supply has been fully restored by Indonesia’s state electricity provider, PLN.

Indonesia’s National Disaster Management Agency, BNPB, has also activated Emergency Assistance Posts in Labuan Bajo and Maumere to support coordination and humanitarian operations.

Access along parts of the Trans-Flores national road network has improved. Nine affected road sections have reopened following the clearance of 40 landslide points, helping restore movement between affected communities and supporting the delivery of emergency assistance.

Nevertheless, logistical access remains challenging in some locations because affected communities are spread across multiple islands and difficult-to-reach areas.

 

 

Human Initiative’s Emergency Response

Human Initiative is working with local volunteers and relevant stakeholders to support affected families across East Nusa Tenggara.

Response Posts and Volunteer Network

With support from the Human Initiative Volunteer Energy, or HIVE, East Nusa Tenggara network, Human Initiative is operating:

  • Main response posts in Ende and Ruteng
  • Forward response posts in Mbay and Reo

These response posts support field coordination, data collection, logistics, relief distribution, and communication with affected communities.

Maritime Humanitarian Supply Chain

The Kupang–Ende maritime route is operational and is being used to support the distribution of emergency relief supplies.

This maritime supply chain is important for moving assistance across East Nusa Tenggara, where the region’s geography and the distance between affected communities can create significant logistical challenges.

Relief Distributed in Sikka and Nagekeo

Human Initiative has distributed emergency assistance in Sikka and Nagekeo, including:

  • 200 bedding kits
  • 200 essential food packages
  • Hygiene kits
  • Clothing
  • Emergency tents

The assistance is intended to help displaced and affected families meet immediate needs while they remain unable to safely return to damaged homes.

Community Kitchen

Human Initiative is supporting a community kitchen that provides nutritious meals for vulnerable groups and other people affected by the earthquake.

Continued support is required to maintain food supplies and ensure that displaced families can access appropriate meals during the emergency-response period.

Emergency Communications

Starlink satellite internet has been installed at the response post to strengthen emergency communication and coordination.

Reliable connectivity helps response teams communicate with field personnel, coordinate logistics, verify information, and share updates from areas where conventional communication services may be limited or disrupted.

 

 

Human Initiative’s Action Plan

Human Initiative is continuing and expanding the emergency response through the following priority actions.

1. Strengthening Response Post Operations

Human Initiative will optimise the main response posts in Ende and Ruteng and the forward response posts in Mbay and Reo.

These facilities will support coordination and enable the rapid movement and distribution of humanitarian assistance to affected communities.

2. Continuing Relief Distribution

Human Initiative will deliver:

  • 200 bedding kits
  • 200 essential food packages

The assistance will be directed to affected communities in Nagekeo and Mbay. Human Initiative will also maintain the supplies required to operate the community kitchen and provide meals to vulnerable groups.

3. Verifying Affected-Population Data

HIVE volunteers, in coordination with the Regional Disaster Management Agency, BPBD, will verify programme participants and rights-holder data using the By Name, By Address approach.

This verification process will help ensure that humanitarian assistance reaches identified affected families and individuals based on verified needs.

4. Expanding Response Post Facilities

Human Initiative plans to expand Starlink internet connectivity and improve Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene facilities at response posts.

These improvements will support access to:

  • Safe drinking water
  • Sanitation facilities
  • Hygiene services
  • Reliable emergency communications

 

Families Still Need Your Support

Although electricity and several road sections have been restored, the humanitarian needs remain significant.

More than 82,000 people have been displaced, and thousands of homes have sustained severe or moderate damage. Families who cannot safely return home require continued access to temporary shelter, bedding, nutritious food, hygiene supplies, clean water, sanitation facilities, and other essential services.

Damage to hundreds of schools, healthcare facilities, government offices, and places of worship will also affect communities beyond the immediate emergency period. Continued humanitarian support will be essential as families move from emergency survival towards recovery and rebuilding.

 

 

How Your Donation Can Help

Your donation to Care4NTT can help Human Initiative provide and maintain:

  • Bedding kits for displaced families
  • Essential food packages
  • Community kitchen operations
  • Hygiene kits and clothing
  • Emergency tents and temporary shelter
  • Safe drinking water and sanitation facilities
  • Emergency communications
  • Logistics and maritime transportation
  • Response-post operations
  • Data verification and needs-based aid distribution
  • Assistance for children, older people, persons with disabilities, and other vulnerable groups

All assistance will be delivered according to verified humanitarian needs, operational access, and coordination with local stakeholders and relevant authorities.

 

 

Stand With East Nusa Tenggara

Families affected by the earthquake face a long and difficult path towards recovery. Many have lost their homes or have been forced to leave unsafe buildings, while damage to essential facilities continues to disrupt daily life.

Your support can help Human Initiative maintain its emergency operations, deliver essential assistance, and stand alongside affected communities as they recover and rebuild.

Donate Now to Care4NTT

Together, we can help families in East Nusa Tenggara recover and rebuild.

Safety information: Aftershocks are continuing. People in affected areas should avoid damaged or potentially unstable buildings and follow official instructions from BMKG, BNPB, BPBD, and local authorities.

 

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[Original post]

A powerful magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia, on 15 August 2026 at 4:58 a.m. Western Indonesia Time, or 5:58 a.m. Central Indonesia Time.

The earthquake’s epicentre was located offshore, approximately 30 kilometres northeast of Mbay in Nagekeo Regency, at coordinates 8.41° South and 121.39° East. The shallow earthquake, at an estimated depth of 10 to 15 kilometres, was associated with thrust faulting along the Flores Back Arc Thrust. An estimated 1.5 million people may have experienced strong shaking across Flores and Sumbawa.

 

 

Tsunami Warning Lifted, but Aftershock Risk Remains

Following the earthquake, Indonesia’s Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency, BMKG, issued a tsunami early warning for parts of East Nusa Tenggara, West Nusa Tenggara, South Sulawesi, and Southeast Sulawesi.

Changes in sea level were detected at ten monitoring stations. The highest recorded increase was 0.94 metres in Maurole, Ende Regency, at 5:27 a.m. Western Indonesia Time. BMKG officially lifted the tsunami warning at 7:30 a.m. Western Indonesia Time.

Although the tsunami warning has ended, affected communities continue to face the danger of aftershocks and unstable or damaged buildings. At least 54 aftershocks had been recorded by 7:30 a.m., with the strongest reaching magnitude 6.1. Residents who evacuated to higher ground have been advised to remain alert and to avoid buildings that may have been weakened by the earthquake.

 

 

Initial Impact

As of Human Initiative’s Situation Report #1, issued at 8:30 a.m. Western Indonesia Time on 15 August 2026, two people were reported to have died in Sikka Regency after being struck by falling structural material at Maumere Port. Several other people were reported to have sustained minor to moderate injuries. These figures remain preliminary and may change as assessments continue.

Initial reports indicate structural damage at Maumere Port, including damage to buildings within the port complex and the wharf area. Cracked walls and partial structural collapses have also been reported at several hotels, commercial buildings, and public facilities in Ende, Ruteng, and Labuan Bajo. Some affected areas have experienced partial electricity disruptions, while confusion and congestion were reported as residents moved towards higher ground.

 

 

Priority Areas for Rapid Assessment

Human Initiative has identified three initial priority areas for rapid assessment:

Sikka Regency, including Maumere

Sikka is a priority following initial reports of fatalities and structural damage to essential public infrastructure, particularly at Maumere Port.

Ende Regency, particularly Maurole District

Maurole recorded the highest detected sea-level increase at 0.94 metres. Coastal settlements in this area also experienced strong earthquake shaking.

Nagekeo Regency, including Mbay

Nagekeo is located closest to the earthquake’s epicentre. Initial reports indicate damage to residential areas along the northern coast.

 

 

Human Initiative’s Emergency Response

Human Initiative began taking strategic response measures and coordinating internally shortly after the earthquake. The emergency response team started mobilising at 7:45 a.m. Western Indonesia Time.

Human Initiative is deploying two personnel from its central team and two local volunteers from Bajawa to conduct an initial rapid assessment. The assessment will help determine the scale of the damage, identify the most urgent needs, and guide the delivery of humanitarian assistance in Nagekeo, Ende, and Sikka.

The planned emergency response includes the following areas of intervention:

Rapid Needs Assessment

Human Initiative’s rapid assessment team will map urgent humanitarian needs in Nagekeo, Ende, and Sikka, including the condition of affected communities, public infrastructure, evacuation locations, and access to essential services.

Emergency Shelter and Essential Supplies

Human Initiative is preparing to provide emergency shelter and non-food items to people staying in temporary evacuation locations or avoiding damaged buildings due to continuing aftershocks. Assistance may include:

  • Tarpaulins
  • Blankets
  • Sleeping mats
  • Hygiene kits
  • Other essential household supplies

The type and quantity of assistance will be determined through verified field assessments.

Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene

Emergency clean-water distribution and collapsible water containers are being prepared due to the risk of damage to local water-distribution systems in coastal areas affected by the shallow earthquake.

Psychological First Aid

Human Initiative is preparing psychological first aid and psychosocial support for children, families, and other community members experiencing fear and distress following the tsunami warning, evacuation, strong earthquake shaking, and repeated aftershocks.

 

 

Families Need Your Support

The earthquake occurred before dawn, forcing many coastal residents to evacuate towards higher ground amid strong shaking and tsunami concerns. Families are now dealing with continuing aftershocks, damaged buildings, disrupted services, and uncertainty about when it will be safe to return home.

Urgent assistance is needed to help affected families stay safe and meet their essential needs while damage and humanitarian requirements are being assessed.

Your donation can help Human Initiative deliver assistance such as:

  • Emergency shelter materials
  • Blankets and sleeping mats
  • Hygiene kits
  • Safe drinking water and water containers
  • Essential supplies for displaced families
  • Rapid needs assessments
  • Psychological first aid
  • Assistance for children, older people, persons with disabilities, and other at-risk groups

All assistance will be prioritised according to verified field needs, humanitarian access, and coordination with local stakeholders and relevant authorities.

 

 

Stand With East Nusa Tenggara

Families affected by this disaster should not have to face the emergency alone.

Your donation can help Human Initiative respond quickly, reach affected communities, and provide essential humanitarian assistance during the critical first days of the emergency.

Donate Now and Stand With Families in East Nusa Tenggara

Together, we can help affected communities stay safe, recover, and rebuild.

Safety information: The tsunami warning was officially lifted by BMKG at 7:30 a.m. Western Indonesia Time on 15 August 2026. However, people in affected areas should remain alert for aftershocks and avoid buildings that are damaged or potentially unstable. Communities should continue to follow instructions from BMKG, BNPB, BPBD, and local authorities.

 

Situation Update

Last updated: 15 August 2026, 8:30 a.m. Western Indonesia Time

The information presented on this page is based on Human Initiative Situation Report #1. The situation continues to develop, and figures concerning casualties, injuries, damage, displacement, and humanitarian needs may change as authorities and response teams complete further assessments.

Human Initiative is committed to providing updates based on verified field information. Donations will be used according to priority humanitarian needs, operational access, and Human Initiative’s applicable emergency-response procedures.

If donations exceed the requirements of this specific emergency, remaining funds may be allocated to related humanitarian response, recovery, disaster preparedness, or other emergency activities in accordance with Human Initiative Japan’s policies.