PMI Jakarta Medical Team Treats Hundreds of Quake Survivors in Remote Sengari, NTT

A medical team from the Jakarta branch of the Indonesian Red Cross (PMI) has finally reached the remote area of Sengari in East Manggarai, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), after being blocked for days by massive landslides.

We're always ready to answer the call for larger-scale humanitarian missions

Sengari is one of the regions severely impacted by the earthquake that recently struck Flores. The arrival of the PMI medical team was met with great enthusiasm by locals, who had been desperately waiting for medical assistance amidst crippled access and limited facilities.

The deployed team consists of doctors and nurses from both PMI Jakarta and PMI Bogor Hospital. They were sent as a joint task force to bolster medical relief efforts for the disaster-affected community.

Jakarta Assesses Needs and Coordinates Aid for NTT Earthquake Victims

Upon arrival, the volunteers immediately established emergency health posts and field clinics in open areas where residents had been seeking refuge.

According to initial data, hundreds of residents have already received medical check-ups and treatment. Many suffered from minor to moderate injuries caused by falling debris, construction materials, and rocks that cascaded down from hillsides during the earthquake.

PMI Jakarta Chairman, Beky Mardani, emphasized that the organization remains on high alert to bolster humanitarian operations in disaster-stricken areas, including the strategic deployment of medical personnel and volunteers.

"We're always ready to answer the call for larger-scale humanitarian missions. We continue to coordinate closely with the PMI Headquarters, awaiting further directives to ensure that every step we take is perfectly aligned with the actual needs on the ground," he expressed, Thursday (8/20).

He went on to say that PMI Jakarta’s support extends beyond the deployment of personnel. The organization has also launched a public donation drive to provide essential aid to those affected by the earthquake.

"Besides mobilizing medical professionals and volunteers, we have opened a call for donations to further assist the survivors in their recovery," he explained.

He emphasized that every form of assistance dispatched will be strictly tailored to the actual conditions and immediate needs of the residents in the disaster zone.

"Our team already on the ground provides constant field reports. This allows us to ensure that the aid we deliver is precisely what the community needs most at any given moment," Beky added.

He explained that PMI—alongside a joint task force comprising Search and Rescue (SAR) teams, Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI), National Police (Polri), local government agencies, and various humanitarian organizations—is continuing its relentless push into regions that remain geographically isolated.

These efforts are vital to ensuring that disaster-stricken communities receive essential medical care, evacuation assistance, and basic necessities, despite the formidable terrain.

The mobilization of doctors and nurses from PMI Jakarta and PMI Bogor Hospital stands as a cornerstone of the organization’s humanitarian response to the aftermath of the Flores earthquake.

"We're prioritizing the most critical needs, specifically focusing on the injured and vulnerable groups who require immediate medical intervention," he concluded.

He added that PMI will maintain rigorous coordination and continue to monitor field developments to determine any necessary follow-up support.

"Our principle remains steadfast: we will continue to coordinate. The actual needs of the community on the ground will serve as the primary blueprint for our subsequent relief phases," he stated.

Currently, the humanitarian operation remains in full swing. The collection of victim data, medical screenings, patient evacuations, and the distribution of aid are being conducted in stages as access to previously cut-off regions gradually improves.

For the people of Sengari, the PMI health team is a beacon of hope. In a time of isolation and profound scarcity, the arrival of these volunteers is a powerful signal: no matter how broken the roads or how difficult the terrain, they have not been forgotten. It is a promise that help will always find a way.

In the heart of the disaster zone, medical personnel are working around the clock, utilizing triage protocols to determine which survivors need life-saving intervention first.

The most severely injured are treated immediately in makeshift field clinics. As soon as they are stable enough for transport, they are moved to larger referral hospitals. Yet, the path to recovery is physically blocked; the earthquake has left the local infrastructure in ruins, with massive landslides cutting off primary ground routes.

To bypass these obstacles, rescue teams have taken to the skies. Patients in serious condition are being air-lifted via helicopter, flown out in strategic phases to ensure every critical victim reaches the specialized care they need to survive.