Five Flores airports reported damaged after August 15 earthquake

Labuan Bajo — Five airports across Flores were reported damaged after the magnitude-7.7 earthquake on Saturday, 15 August 2026, with Indonesia’s air transport authorities monitoring operations and airlines adjusting services while inspections and safety assessments continue.

Indonesia’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) at the Ministry of Transportation said five airports on Flores were affected: Komodo Airport in Labuan Bajo, H. Hasan Aroeboesman Airport in Ende, Umbu Mehang Kunda Airport in Waingapu, Frans Sales Lega Airport in Ruteng and Soa Airport in Bajawa.

According to the DGCA, reported damage at several airports includes cracks and damage to terminal buildings, administrative buildings, Airport Rescue and Fire Fighting (ARFF) facilities and other supporting infrastructure, while runways remain usable.

At H. Hasan Aroeboesman Airport in Ende, the terminal ceiling was damaged and cracks appeared in the walls of the ARFF building and the control tower structure, according to an updated airport summary. Authorities cleared the terminal area and continued air traffic services under a contingency plan, relocating some communications to the ARFF watchroom to maintain operations safely.

BMKG, Indonesia’s Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency, reported that the 7.7‑magnitude earthquake struck at 04:58 Jakarta time on 15 August, with its epicentre in the sea about 30 kilometres northeast of Nagekeo at a depth of around 15 kilometres.

The agency said the shallow quake was triggered by activity on the Flores Back‑Arc Thrust, a thrust‑fault system running north of the Nusa Tenggara islands. BMKG issued a tsunami warning shortly after the main shock and ended it at 07:30, after monitoring showed no dangerous rise in sea levels.

Airport operations and flight changes

DGC A said airport operations at the five affected locations were being closely monitored, with safety inspections of physical infrastructure and navigation facilities continuing.

Reports cited by international and domestic media indicate that airlines cancelled or suspended some services to the hardest‑hit areas while assessments were under way. One carrier operating regional routes to Ende suspended flights as a precaution pending full safety checks, affecting services on links from Kupang and Labuan Bajo.

At Komodo Airport in Labuan Bajo, the DGCA reported damage to landside facilities including terminal and administrative buildings, along with minor damage to part of the taxiway. However, the airport’s runway remained usable and operations continued under heightened monitoring.

Media reports also noted that other airports serving the wider region, including El Tari International Airport in Kupang and airports in Lombok, Bima and Sumbawa, continued operating after inspections, although airlines adjusted schedules to reflect demand and local conditions.

Impacts and official response

Indonesia’s disaster agencies and humanitarian networks reported dozens of fatalities and thousands of displaced residents across Flores and surrounding areas.

Assessments cited by relief organisations indicated that districts including Sikka, Manggarai, Ende and Nagekeo experienced strong shaking, with reported damage to housing, public buildings and transport infrastructure.

BMKG said aftershocks in the days following the main quake numbered in the thousands, with ongoing seismic activity reinforcing official warnings for residents and visitors to avoid damaged structures and heed guidance from local authorities.

While runways at the affected airports remained functional, aviation officials emphasised that terminal access, support facilities and some navigation services were subject to restrictions, pending repairs and further structural checks.

Travellers were advised by aviation authorities and airlines to check the latest information from carriers and airport operators before heading to the airport, as flight schedules and operating procedures could change at short notice during the recovery phase.

For visitors to Flores and the surrounding islands, authorities underscored that safety assessments and reconstruction work will continue for weeks and months, with airport operations adapting as critical infrastructure is repaired.

Sources

• RRI.co.id (English service)
• BMKG – Dinamika Gempa Flores M7,7: Sebaran dan Klaster Gempa Susulan di Zona Flores Back-Arc Thrust
• Bernama – Flores Quake: Two Dead, Tsunami Warning Lifted
• Wikipedia – H. Hasan Aroeboesman Airport
• AviationExpress – Indonesia airport largely operating after deadly Flores earthquake
• ACT Alliance – Alert note Indonesia Earthquake August 2026