Shortage forces Ende residents to queue 1-km for fuel

Scarcity of gasoline at Pertamina’s station in Ende, Flores, East Nusa Tenggara caused a 1-km long line at the Waimantar gas station on Jl. Gator Soebroto on Monday. Local residents spent hours waiting to purchase fuel.

Similar conditions occurred at a gas station in Ndao 3-km away.

Waimantar gas station chief Maria Sadipun said that the station began running out of fuel stock on Sunday evening.

“We actually have received a refill, but in a very limited quantity,” she said as quoted by kompas.com.

Pertamina’s acting operational head in Ende, Remigius Julius, denied the fuel shortage. “The delivery of fuel to Pertamina depots in Ende, Nagekeo and Ngada has been delayed by bad weather,” he said.

Remigius said he had sent 10 tons of gasoline from Maumere depot in Sikka regency to meet public demands.