President Prabowo honors earthquake victims during Indonesia's 81st Independence Day ceremony

President Prabowo honors earthquake victims during Indonesia's 81st Independence Day ceremony

President Prabowo Subianto opened Indonesia's 81st Independence Day ceremony on Monday by calling for prayers for those affected by the devastating earthquake that struck East Nusa Tenggara two days earlier, marking a somber tone to the national celebration at Merdeka Palace in Jakarta.

The magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck on August 15 at 5:58 a.m. local time, with its epicenter approximately 68 kilometers north-northwest of Ende. As of Monday, the disaster had claimed at least 68 lives and injured over 200 people across seven districts, with Manggarai suffering the highest death toll of 26, followed by East Manggarai with 24 fatalities and Nagekeo with 8.

During the ceremony, President Prabowo led attendees in a moment of silence, saying:

And pray for our fellow Indonesians affected by natural disasters in Sumatra, East Nusa Tenggara, and other parts of Indonesia.

He also asked the gathering to remember the nation's independence heroes and their sacrifices for Indonesia's freedom and dignity.

Scale of the disaster

The earthquake has become the deadliest to hit Indonesia since the 2022 West Java earthquake. The disaster displaced approximately 34,689 people, with thousands forced into temporary shelters, and damaged over 19,000 homes including more than 6,400 severely damaged structures. The quake also triggered small tsunami waves at 16 locations across four Indonesian provinces, with the highest wave reaching 0.94 meters in Ende.

Government response

In response to the crisis, President Prabowo deployed approximately 3,500 members of the Indonesian National Armed Forces and National Police to the affected regions by Monday. The president also ordered senior ministers, including Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture Pratikno and Minister of Home Affairs Tito Karnavian, to assess the situation on the ground.

The East Nusa Tenggara provincial government declared a 14-day emergency response period running from August 15 to 28, while Manggarai regency established a 90-day disaster emergency response period. Authorities recorded more than 995 aftershocks following the main quake, with the strongest measuring magnitude 6.2, creating ongoing challenges for rescue and relief efforts.

Independence Day ceremony continues

The Independence Day ceremony proceeded under the theme "Sovereign, Just, and Prosperous Indonesia," commemorating 81 years since the nation's proclamation of independence from the Netherlands on August 17, 1945. This marked President Prabowo's first Independence Day ceremony as head of state, having been inaugurated as Indonesia's eighth president on October 20, 2024.

At the ceremony, the Flag-Raising Troop served as the "Indonesia Berdaulat" (Sovereign Indonesia) team, with Celina Olivia Apriani Theo from West Kalimantan Province selected to bear the Red and White Flag. The president wore traditional blue beskap attire paired with songket cloth around his waist.

Prior to the ceremony, the Heirloom Flag and Proclamation Text were transported from the National Monument to Merdeka Palace aboard the Garuda Prabayaksa Royal Carriage, escorted by the 2025 Pancasila Ambassador Retired Flag Raising Team.