Indonesia deploys military aircraft with disaster aid to earthquake-hit NTT and fire-ravaged Kalimantan

Indonesia deploys military aircraft with disaster aid to earthquake-hit NTT and fire-ravaged Kalimantan

The Indonesian government dispatched six Air Force aircraft on Monday carrying emergency relief supplies to disaster-stricken regions in East Nusa Tenggara and Kalimantan, Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya announced.

Three planes flew to East Nusa Tenggara, delivering aid to Labuan Bajo in West Manggarai Regency and Maumere in Sikka Regency. The aircraft transported 31 tons of ready-to-eat supplies, including biscuits, wafers, protein bars, bread and other food items, along with toys for children affected by the disaster.

The aid mission responds to the August 15 earthquake that struck the region at 5:58 AM local time with a magnitude of 7.7. The epicenter was located approximately 30 kilometers northeast of Mbay in Nagekeo Regency at a depth of 10 to 15 kilometers. As of August 21, the disaster had claimed 83 lives and displaced 110,785 people, while damaging more than 29,000 homes, with over 11,000 severely affected.

The earthquake triggered more than 4,258 aftershocks as of August 21, with 118 felt by residents and 31 measuring above magnitude 5.0, according to Indonesia's meteorological agency BMKG. The ongoing seismic activity has kept displaced residents in temporary shelters and complicated relief operations.

Firefighting equipment deployed to Kalimantan

Three additional aircraft flew to Pontianak, Palangka Raya and Banjarmasin carrying 500 water pumps, representing the first installment of 2,000 units to be delivered in stages. President Prabowo Subianto ordered the deployment at the request of Kalimantan governors to support firefighting efforts in the region.

Each pump comes equipped with one kilometer of hose to support firefighting operations, particularly in peatland areas where fires present unique challenges. Peatland fires can spread beneath the surface and continue burning underground even when flames are no longer visible, requiring sustained wetting operations to fully extinguish.

The three destination cities serve as capitals of West Kalimantan, Central Kalimantan and South Kalimantan provinces, which are among six priority fire provinces identified by Indonesian authorities due to their vast peatland areas prone to ignition during the dry season. As of August 9, more than 28,680 hectares had burned in West Kalimantan alone, accounting for over half of the 48,889 hectares burned across all six priority provinces.

Forestry Minister Raja Juli Antoni reported that hotspots in South Kalimantan fluctuated dramatically in recent days, reaching 157 on August 21, dropping to 11 by 9 PM on August 22, then rising again to 44 by 6 AM on August 23. The dynamic situation reflects the challenging conditions firefighters face in Kalimantan, home to an estimated 45,000 square kilometers of tropical peatland representing one of the largest stocks of tropical peat carbon globally.

Climate conditions worsen fire risk

The ongoing El Niño phenomenon, expected to peak in September 2026, is creating drier conditions that increase fire risk across Indonesia's peatland regions. The climate pattern adds urgency to government firefighting efforts as the dry season continues.

Teddy emphasized that President Prabowo's directive on disaster response is clear: all efforts must be carried out swiftly and in a coordinated manner.

Every agency must ensure logistical aid reaches and is received by people who need it

he said in a written statement.

The government will continue supporting disaster response efforts and ensure affected residents receive necessary assistance, Teddy stated.

The government will ensure affected residents are not left on their own. We are here to stand with them

he said.