Labuan Bajo trader reports higher food prices after August 7.7 earthquake

Labuan Bajo — Staple food prices at Bukit Cermin Market have increased following the magnitude 7.7 earthquake that struck Nusa Tenggara Timur on 15 August 2026, according to a trader interviewed in a Metro TV news segment broadcast on 5 September 2026. The trader reported higher prices for chilli, shallots, garlic, onions, potatoes and tomatoes, and estimated an overall increase of around 15 percent.

The trader, identified as Rangga, said the price of regular chilli had risen from about Rp40,000 to Rp60,000 per kilogram. He characterised the figure as an approximation based on his own stall’s experience rather than a formal survey of the whole market.

The Metro TV report showed trading activity resuming at Bukit Cermin Market after the earthquake, with residents returning to buy basic food items. However, Rangga said prices for several commonly used ingredients had not returned to pre-quake levels and buyer traffic remained weaker than before the disaster.

Reported prices and buyer traffic

In the broadcast, Rangga listed indicative prices for a number of commodities sold at his stall. The report did not specify whether these represented retail prices across the market or only his own sales.

• Regular chilli: previously about Rp40,000, now about Rp60,000 per kilogram.
• Garlic: around Rp40,000 per kilogram.
• Shallots: around Rp30,000 per kilogram.
• Potatoes: around Rp25,000 per kilogram.
• Tomatoes: around Rp20,000 per kilogram.
• Large chilli: around Rp50,000 per kilogram.
• Curly chilli: around Rp40,000 per kilogram.

Rangga told Metro TV that overall staple food prices at his stall were up by roughly 15 percent after the earthquake. He also said the number of buyers had fallen compared with the period before the quake, linking the decline to small eateries, or warungs, that were still operating less frequently.

Earthquake and tsunami impact

The food price increases followed a powerful offshore earthquake that the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) recorded at magnitude 7.7 near Mbay, Nagekeo, Nusa Tenggara Timur, on 15 August 2026. BMKG initially logged the event at magnitude 7.0 before revising it to 7.7.

The quake triggered a tsunami early warning and generated sea-level changes in several locations. According to reports citing BMKG data, a tsunami of about 0.36 metres was detected in Labuan Bajo at around 05:26 WIB, alongside smaller waves recorded in Sikka and Dompu. BMKG’s Komodo Meteorological Station later stated that the tsunami early warning for the M7.7 event ended at 08:30 WITA.

National media coverage described moderate to heavy damage to some buildings and public facilities in Maumere, Manggarai Barat and Labuan Bajo, including at a local hotel and port facilities. Residents in Labuan Bajo reported strong shaking and temporary evacuations, including of hospital patients, in the hours after the quake and tsunami warning.

Market conditions after the quake

By the time of the Metro TV segment on 5 September, Bukit Cermin Market was described as functioning again, with traders and residents adapting to post-disaster conditions. The report did not provide official data on price movements across the wider Labuan Bajo area, nor did it cite government monitoring or interventions.

Separate national price monitoring data from Bank Indonesia’s Information System for Food Prices (PIHPS) for September 2026 show chilli and onion prices fluctuating across Indonesia, but the publicly accessible tables list averages by province and city rather than specific markets such as Bukit Cermin. These figures therefore cannot be directly compared with the trader’s stall-level quotations.

Authorities have focused on assessing physical damage and coastal impacts from the earthquake and tsunami across Nusa Tenggara Timur. As of mid-September, available national reports had not detailed specific policy measures targeting food prices in Labuan Bajo’s markets, and the Metro TV account remained one of the few snapshots of post-quake trading conditions at Bukit Cermin.

Sources

• Metro TV News – Harga Bahan Pokok di Labuan Bajo Naik Pascagempa
• CNN Indonesia – Gempa M7,7 Guncang NTT, Hotel & Fasilitas Publik di Labuan Bajo Rusak
• Liputan6 – Gempa M 7,7 NTT, BMKG Cek Kerusakan di Maumere hingga Labuan Bajo
• SINDOnews – Tsunami Setinggi 0,3 Meter Melanda Labuan Bajo usai Gempa M7,7 NTT
• Okezone News – Breaking News! Tsunami Terjadi di Labuan Bajo Usai Gempa Dahsyat M7,7
• RRI – Gempa M7,7 Guncang NTT, Warga Labuan Bajo Panik hingga Pasien Rumah Sakit Dievakuasi
• Bank Indonesia – Sistem Informasi Harga Pangan (PIHPS)