Basarnas Keeps Labuan Bajo SAR on Standby After 7.7 Flores Quake

Labuan Bajo — Indonesia’s search-and-rescue agency said personnel and equipment in Labuan Bajo remained on standby after a magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck Flores on 15 August 2026, as emergency teams continued to prepare for possible evacuations and assistance in Manggarai Barat.

Basarnas chief Mohammad Syafii inspected the Manggarai Barat SAR post during a visit after the quake, according to local reporting on the agency’s activities. The inspection covered personnel, SAR equipment and supporting facilities.

The earthquake was widely reported by international and Indonesian outlets on 15 August, with the U.S. Geological Survey and other reporting placing the epicentre in eastern Indonesia’s Flores region. Reuters reported that the quake caused deaths, injuries and panic across the region, while Associated Press reporting said it also affected Labuan Bajo, the gateway to Komodo National Park.

Personnel remain on standby

Basarnas said teams from the Maumere SAR office to the Manggarai Barat post were maintaining standby status during the emergency period. The agency’s emphasis was on keeping rescue units ready to respond quickly to evacuation requests and other urgent calls.

Syafii instructed personnel to put rescuer safety first during operations, even while carrying out humanitarian duties. The agency said coordination among SAR elements was being strengthened to speed response when emergencies occurred.

The readiness message matters for travellers as well as residents, because Labuan Bajo serves as a major tourism hub for Komodo National Park and the surrounding seas. Public reporting after the quake also described concern among visitors and residents in the area, underscoring the need for active local preparedness.

What Basarnas said it was checking

According to the report, the inspection focused on the condition of personnel, main SAR equipment, and supporting infrastructure at the Manggarai Barat post. The agency presented the visit as part of its effort to maintain operational readiness during the post-earthquake response phase.

Basarnas did not publish a staffing total in the report cited, and it did not provide a detailed inventory of the equipment reviewed. The article also did not set out formal response-time benchmarks or a breakdown of coordination arrangements with tourist-boat operators.

Reported readiness details

• Earthquake: Magnitude 7.7 in Flores, eastern Indonesia
• Response focus: Standby personnel, equipment and facilities in Manggarai Barat
• Inspection: Manggarai Barat SAR post, visited by Basarnas chief Mohammad Syafii
• Operational priority: Rescuer safety and rapid coordination during emergencies

For Labuan Bajo, the practical implication was that the local SAR post remained part of a wider emergency network prepared to assist residents and tourists. Basarnas said that readiness would continue throughout the response period, with coordination among personnel and SAR elements being reinforced.

Sources

• Reuters via Yahoo News
• AP via CJME
• INP Polri
• RRI.co.id