MARITIMEPOSTS.COM – MANGGARAI, NTT — A disaster response team from Hasanuddin University (Unhas) has arrived in earthquake-affected areas of Manggarai, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), as part of the university’s humanitarian response through the Thematic Disaster Response Community Service Program (KKN-TB).
Led by Unhas Vice Rector for Academic and Student Affairs, Prof. Drg. Muhammad Ruslin, the team travelled from Makassar to Labuan Bajo before continuing overland to Manggarai. Upon arrival in Ruteng, the team immediately coordinated with the BNPB disaster response post to assess conditions and align the university’s assistance with the needs of affected communities.
Prof. Ruslin said the team’s first step upon reaching Manggarai was to coordinate with the official disaster management authorities before distributing assistance.
“Alhamdulillah, we have arrived in Manggarai. The team went straight to the BNPB Post in Ruteng to coordinate and simultaneously hand over aid from Universitas Hasanuddin. We want to ensure that Unhas’s presence is truly directed toward the needs of the affected community,” Prof. Ruslin said.
The university handed over logistical assistance, including food and essential supplies, to Manggarai Regional Secretary Lambertus Paput, S.Sos., as part of its initial humanitarian support for communities affected by the earthquake.
The field mission is also accompanied by Dr. Eng. Ilham Alimuddin, Head of the Unhas Center for Disaster Research at the Institute for Research and Community Service (LPPM Unhas).
Ilham is responsible for strengthening the disaster-response component of the mission and coordinating the students’ field activities.
According to Ilham, the deployment is designed not merely as a short-term aid operation but also as an opportunity for Unhas to contribute academic knowledge and field expertise to the disaster response process.
The mission involves 10 students from KKN-TB Batch 117, representing several academic disciplines, including physics, geophysics, international relations, mining engineering, medical education, animal science, dental education, and law.
The students are Angga Anugrah, Nadhiva Amelia Naura, Muhammad Aflahal Mukmin, Renaldi, Reynhard Kanna Lengkong, Vargas Radho Nuru, Andi Nurul Mazaya, Lantar Maulana Anugerah Daiva, Muhammad Rizki Rivaldo, and A. Fathur Rahman.
Their multidisciplinary backgrounds are expected to support a broader response to the needs of affected communities, combining humanitarian assistance with field observation, community engagement, and disaster-related activities.
After completing coordination in Manggarai, the team is continuing its journey toward Lambaleda in East Manggarai. The students are expected to remain in the affected areas for approximately two weeks.
The deployment forms part of Unhas’s commitment to placing academic resources directly at the service of communities facing disasters. Through KKN-TB, students are given the opportunity to apply their knowledge in real-world emergency situations while contributing to humanitarian and recovery efforts.
For Unhas, the presence of the team in Manggarai and East Manggarai is intended to complement the work of government disaster-response agencies and ensure that university assistance is coordinated, targeted, and responsive to the conditions on the ground.
