Ministry repairs quake-damaged houses of worship in Flores

 The Ministry of Public Works (PU) is pursuing efforts to rebuild houses of worship affected by the earthquake in Flores, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), as conveyed by PU Minister Dody Hanggodo 

"In rebuilding, local wisdom must be maintained wherever possible. Therefore, coordination with those who use or manage the buildings is essential," he remarked in a statement.

His office is following up on the results of an inspection of the condition of the St. Peter and Paul Catholic Church in Dampek, East Manggarai District, and the Nurul Huda Reo Mosque in Manggarai District, East Nusa Tenggara.

According to him, reconstruction efforts are carried out based on the level of damage to each building, while taking into account safety, users’ needs, and the local community’s wisdom.

An inspection of three buildings at St. Peter and Paul Church in Dampek found that the church and hall had structural damage and were unsafe to use. The rectory was undamaged and safe to use.

As a follow-up, the church congregation conducted a demolition and cleaned the church and hall. A traditional ceremony was also held on this occasion as part of the community's efforts to preserve the traditional values and local wisdom inherent in the congregation's life in Dampek.

Furthermore, the ministry is preparing the next step of rebuilding the Saints Peter and Paul Church using a design-build approach, first conducting a study of the existing structural condition.

Meanwhile, Hanggodo said an inspection of the Nurul Huda Reo Mosque found that its main structure was generally intact, although some structural and non-structural elements were damaged.

Based on the inspection, the main building of the Nurul Huda Reo Mosque was classified as moderately damaged. Recommended repairs include removing the entire ceiling, demolishing wall sections with cracks wider than 6 millimeters, and reinforcing the building structure.

Moreover, the Nurul Huda Reo Mosque minaret was found to be severely damaged, with part of it having collapsed. Therefore, complete demolition is recommended.

As with St. Peter and Paul Church, repairs to the Nurul Huda Reo Mosque will be carried out based on the assessment and extent of damage to ensure that rehabilitation and reconstruction are conducted properly and safely, Hanggodo remarked.