Komodo Times

Monday, 21 September 2026

Monday, 21 September 2026

What you need to know today

47 stories summarised by section. Read the headline and the gist here, then tap to read in full.

Komodo National Park

  1. BMKG warns of up to 1.9-metre waves in Komodo National Park waters

    Indonesia’s meteorological agency forecast moderate seas in Komodo National Park waters from 15 to 18 September 2026, with winds strengthening after midnight and waves expected to peak around 1.9 metres, prompting warnings for small…

    · 4 min read

  2. BNPB Verification Confirms 12,367 Homes Assessed in Manggarai Barat

    BNPB data up to 7 September 2026 show 51,591 homes verified after the M7.7 Flores earthquake, including 12,367 in Manggarai Barat, where local authorities have completed their own damage verification and opened a formal objection period.

    · 4 min read

  3. INS Named Suspect in Komodo Deer-Poaching Case

    Forestry law enforcement authorities named INS, 33, as a suspect in the alleged poaching of Timor deer in Komodo National Park after a nine-month manhunt, with four other alleged hunters still wanted.

    · 2 min read

  4. BNPB Maps Flores Earthquake Damage From Labuan Bajo to Nagekeo

    BNPB has conducted low-altitude helicopter surveys along the northern coast of Flores, from Labuan Bajo to Nagekeo, to map damage from the magnitude 7.7 earthquake, assess limited tsunami inundation and plan air deliveries of aid to remote…

    · 3 min read

  5. Labuan Bajo Logged 308 Tourist-Boat Departures After Flores Quake

    The Labuan Bajo harbormaster recorded 308 tourist-boat departures with 3,651 passengers on 16 August 2026, one day after the Flores earthquake, as marine tourism and Komodo National Park visits resumed under safety monitoring.

    · 3 min read

  6. Komodo National Park tightens rules for Komodo dragon encounters

    Komodo National Park now applies mandatory ranger guidance, strict behaviour rules and daily visitor quotas managed through an online reservation system.

    · 5 min read

Labuan Bajo

  1. Wizz Baker Headlines POTHP Vol. 5 as Labuan Bajo Tourism Rebounds

    Picnic Over the Hill of Parapuar Volume 5 went ahead on 19 September at Natas Parapuar in Labuan Bajo, with musician Wizz Baker headlining a programme that mixed music, food and stargazing with fundraising for Flores earthquake victims and…

    · 3 min read

  2. Manggarai Barat Police move Lengkong Warang land dispute cases to investigation

    Police in West Manggarai have raised two reports linked to a violent customary-land dispute in Lengkong Warang to formal investigation, examining dozens of witnesses and seizing vehicles as evidence, while urging rival communities to avoid…

    · 4 min read

  3. Speedboat Medical Evacuation Underscores Komodo’s Reliance on Sea Transfers

    An 85-year-old man identified as Yunus was evacuated by speedboat from Komodo Island to Labuan Bajo on 15 September 2026 after doctors at the local health centre referred him for hospital care for severe liver disease, highlighting…

    · 3 min read

  4. Manggarai Barat’s DLHP launches Bank Sampah G-Lingko pilot waste bank

    Manggarai Barat’s Environmental and Land Agency has formed Bank Sampah G-Lingko as a pilot waste bank under its office in Labuan Bajo, with UNDP describing G-Lingko’s structured processes now being applied to community units such as Pasir…

    · 4 min read

  5. BMKG: Dry, El Niño‑Driven Conditions Dominate 15–21 September

    Indonesia’s national forecast for 15–21 September 2026 points to a predominantly dry pattern driven by a strong El Niño, while BMKG warns of heightened wildfire and haze risk and keeps open the chance of local rain and strong winds in some…

    · 4 min read

  6. Gustika Jusuf-Hatta links Labuan Bajo travel to Indonesia’s literacy push

    At a 2026 literacy forum in Semarang, researcher and activist Gustika Jusuf-Hatta urged Indonesians to treat reading as a practical necessity, linking deep comprehension to digital-era information flows and to everyday experiences…

    · 4 min read

Marine & Diving

  1. BMKG Flags Moderate Waves in Southern Sape Strait and NTT Waters

    Indonesia’s meteorological agency has highlighted moderate wave conditions in the southern Sape Strait and nearby NTT waters, urging small vessels, fishermen and marine-tourism operators to follow official forecasts between 17 and 20…

    · 4 min read

  2. Mawatu Takes Shape as 12-Hectare Mixed-Use Project in Labuan Bajo

    Mawatu is being developed on 12 hectares at Batu Cermin in Labuan Bajo as an integrated mixed-use project with tourism, retail, culture, nature and maritime elements, according to reports published on 15 September 2026.

    · 3 min read

  3. Ende Police Hand Three Suspects to Prosecutors in Boat Corruption Case

    Police in Ende have handed three suspects and evidence to prosecutors in a corruption case over 25 ministry-funded fibreglass fishing boats, with alleged state losses put at about Rp6.45 billion.

    · 2 min read

  4. Tourist boats KM AIMAR and Budi Utama collide in Padar Strait

    Two Labuan Bajo tourist boats, KM AIMAR and KM Budi Utama, collided in the Padar Strait on 15 September 2026 while sailing toward Long Beach in Komodo National Park.

    · 3 min read

  5. Virgo Transport 8 disaster prompts DPR scrutiny of maritime safety

    Indonesia’s parliament is demanding tighter enforcement of maritime safety rules after the sinking of KMP Virgo Transport 8 in the Java Sea, but a proposed working committee to scrutinize port authorities nationwide has not yet been…

    · 4 min read

  6. Tour Boat Kailana Runs Aground Near Gili Lawa in Komodo Park

    A tourist vessel named Kailana ran aground on a reef near Gili Lawa in Komodo National Park early on 12 September 2026, according to Indonesia’s Labuan Bajo port authority.

    · 3 min read

Travel & Access

  1. October 2026 KM Wilis calls link Labuan Bajo and Kupang on limited dates

    Independent schedules for KM Wilis show multiple October 2026 calls at Labuan Bajo and Kupang, but only one direct Labuan Bajo–Kupang economy sailing appears in Pelni’s online listing for 10 October.

    · 4 min read

  2. KM Wilis Listed for Two Kupang–Labuan Bajo Sailings in October

    KM Wilis is listed for two Kupang–Labuan Bajo sailings in October 2026, both at Rp391,500 in economy class, according to a published Pelni schedule reported by Pos Kupang and supported by another timetable.

    · 2 min read

  3. No official WIG 2026 role yet for Labuan Bajo’s Golo Koe Festival

    Indonesia’s flagship Wonderful Indonesia Gastronomy 2026 programme has confirmed dates and venues for its main events in Solo and Yogyakarta, but current public information does not show any official role for the Golo Koe Festival in…

    · 4 min read

  4. East Flores Timpora meeting bolsters foreign‑visitor monitoring

    A coordination meeting led by the Sikka Class II Immigration Office in East Flores on 17 September 2026 brought local government, law‑enforcement and regional stakeholders together to strengthen joint monitoring of foreign nationals and…

    · 4 min read

  5. Wings Air’s Ende–Labuan Bajo Route Operating on 17 September 2026

    Komodo Airport’s official flight board for 17 September 2026 lists two Wings Air arrivals from Ende, indicating that the Ende–Labuan Bajo corridor was scheduled and operating, supported by independent timetable data from multiple booking…

    · 3 min read

  6. Pulau Kalong’s Flying Foxes Paint the Komodo Sunset Sky

    Pulau Kalong, a mangrove-clad islet between Rinca and Papagarang in Komodo National Park, offers a boat-based sunset view of thousands of flying foxes leaving their roosts.

    · 4 min read

Flores & Beyond

  1. Schools in Manggarai Barat resume classes in emergency facilities

    Schools across Manggarai Barat have resumed teaching after the 7.7‑magnitude Flores earthquake, but most affected schools are still relying on emergency tents, outdoor spaces and shortened schedules while damaged classrooms are assessed…

    · 4 min read

  2. Minor 0.36 m Tsunami Reached Labuan Bajo After Flores Quake

    Instrument readings and official briefings show that a major Flores Sea earthquake on 15 August 2026 produced a minor 0.36-metre tsunami at Labuan Bajo and stronger shaking across Flores, prompting hours of warning, public anxiety and some…

    · 4 min read

  3. M5.1 Offshore Quake Reported in Flores Sea as Manggarai Aftershocks Continue

    An offshore magnitude 5.1 earthquake was reported in the Flores Sea near Ruteng on Saturday night, as official data from Indonesia’s BMKG continued to track a dense swarm of smaller shocks affecting Manggarai and nearby areas after a major…

    · 4 min read

  4. NTT Consolidates Flores Earthquake Damage Data for Three-Year Recovery Plan

    East Nusa Tenggara authorities are merging sectoral and geographic damage data from the August Flores earthquake into a single geospatial database to support a three-year rehabilitation and reconstruction plan across seven affected…

    · 4 min read

  5. Ngada Enters Recovery Transition, Plans Public Review of Earthquake Damage

    Ngada district has entered an emergency-to-recovery transition following the 15 August Flores earthquake.

    · 3 min read

  6. Sikka Prepares Rp20 Billion Presidential Grant Allocation for Earthquake Recovery

    Sikka regency is preparing to allocate a Rp20 billion presidential grant for post-earthquake recovery, with the largest proposed share set aside for housing.

    · 3 min read

Tourism Business

  1. Manggarai Barat’s DLHP Records Rp2.59 Billion in 2026 Waste Revenue

    Manggarai Barat’s environment agency has reported provisional waste-service revenue of about Rp2.59 billion for the 2026 financial year, below targets of more than Rp3.8 billion in the initial budget and over Rp4 billion in the revised…

    · 4 min read

  2. Mbeliling pineapple farmer sends harvests into Labuan Bajo supply chain

    A 71-year-old farmer in Kampung Ndole, Mbeliling, has grown pineapples on nearly two hectares for about 15 years.

    · 4 min read

  3. Undana pushes green tourism training for 30 Labuan Bajo UMKM

    Undana marked the second day of ICEMAT 2026 in Labuan Bajo with training for 30 UMKM and a push for greener business practices aimed at strengthening the destination’s premium tourism appeal.

    · 2 min read

  4. BI NTT export bootcamp trains 50 curated UMKM for global markets

    Bank Indonesia’s East Nusa Tenggara office, the provincial Industry and Trade Agency and Akademi Mudah Ekspor trained 50 curated UMKM in Kupang on 14–15 September 2026, aiming to strengthen export readiness ahead of an international…

    · 3 min read

  5. Labuan Bajo souvenir shop says turnover fell below Rp5 million after quake

    A Labuan Bajo souvenir shop says daily turnover has dropped below about Rp5 million after the August 2026 Flores earthquake and related volcanic activity reduced tourist traffic.

    · 3 min read

  6. BPOLBF mentoring programme reaches about 200 MSMEs across Floratama area

    BPOLBF, the Labuan Bajo Flores Tourism Authority, says it has mentored and trained around 200 MSMEs through its Floratama Academy programme, working across 10 districts in East Nusa Tenggara and two subdistricts in Bima, West Nusa Tenggara.

    · 3 min read

Explainers

  1. Flores forecast: warm days, light rain and breezy conditions through next week

    Flores is expected to stay warm with light rain and breezy conditions through next week, while BMKG district forecasts show weather can differ sharply across the island.

    · 3 min read

  2. AirNav extends Wunopito Airport closure as Lewotolok ash drifts over Lembata

    AirNav Indonesia extended Wunopito Airport’s closure in Lewoleba after ash from Mount Ili Lewotolok disrupted aviation safety, with repeated NOTAM updates keeping the status in flux.

    · 2 min read

  3. Tens of Thousands Still Displaced One Month After Flores Earthquake

    Indonesian disaster officials say the number of people displaced by the August Flores earthquake has fallen from more than 150,000 to around 46,000, as housing damage is verified and support for heavily affected households is rolled out.

    · 3 min read

  4. Flores districts begin recovery as 7.7 quake emergency phase winds down

    Several Flores districts ended their extended emergency status and search-and-rescue operations on 12 September 2026, as authorities and local communities begin a transition toward rehabilitation, reconstruction and the restoration of…

    · 5 min read

  5. Five Emergencies Expose Flores Timur’s Warning-System Gaps

    Flores Timur has faced overlapping disaster emergencies since late 2025, prompting officials and researchers to push for warning chains that link hazard mapping, monitoring and communication to clear, community-level action.

    · 4 min read

  6. Flores Aftershocks Reach 13,863 as BMKG Reports Weakening Sequence

    BMKG has logged 13,863 aftershocks in Flores since the August 15 magnitude 7.7 earthquake, with the sequence now in a weakening phase.

    · 3 min read

Data

  1. Manggarai Barat Plans 400-Respondent Visitor Exit Survey in Labuan Bajo

    Manggarai Barat’s tourism office has secured a Statistics Indonesia recommendation for a 400-respondent Visitor Exit Survey in Labuan Bajo, planned for 1 October–30 November 2026 as part of efforts to improve destination-level tourism…

    · 3 min read

  2. Tourism Ministry details 2025 statistics for ten priority destinations

    Indonesia’s Tourism Ministry has launched a 2025 statistical publication for 10 Priority Tourism Destinations and three Regenerative Destinations under the One Data Indonesia policy, covering Labuan Bajo, Lake Toba, Bali and other key…

    · 3 min read

  3. Flores Aftershocks Top 9,700 as Labuan Bajo Tourism Normalizes

    Indonesia’s meteorology and disaster agencies have logged more than 9,700 aftershocks in the weeks since the 7.7‑magnitude Flores earthquake, while local officials say tourism in Labuan Bajo and West Manggarai has largely returned to…

    · 4 min read

  4. Indonesia logs 1.53 million foreign arrivals in July 2026, topping 2019

    Indonesia recorded 1,525,037 foreign arrivals in July 2026, slightly above the July 2019 benchmark according to Statistics Indonesia data compiled by Pear Anderson.

    · 4 min read

  5. Komodo Airport Handled 48,798 Arrivals in May 2025

    Komodo Airport recorded 45,261 domestic and 3,537 international arrivals in May 2025, according to BPOLBF.

    · 2 min read
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