NTT books 0.40% August deflation as Flores reels from 7.7 quake

Labuan Bajo — Nusa Tenggara Timur (NTT) recorded month‑on‑month deflation of 0.40% in August 2026, according to the provincial office of Statistics Indonesia (BPS), even as a powerful earthquake struck offshore near Mbay, Nagekeo, Flores on 15 August 2026. The figure reflects an aggregate provincial consumer price index and does not capture all local price conditions in disaster‑affected communities.

Provincial BPS head Matamira Kale said the August outcome was driven mainly by lower prices in the food, beverage and tobacco expenditure group, which fell 1.13% and contributed 0.43 percentage points to the monthly deflation, according to coverage by RRI Kupang. Transport prices declined 0.46%, subtracting a further 0.06 percentage points from the overall index.

RRI reported that BPS data show cumulative inflation of 1.65% from January through August 2026 and year‑on‑year inflation of 2.59% in August. The annual rate edged up from 2.43% in July, remaining within the target band cited by BPS of 2.5% plus or minus 1 percentage point.

The price movements behind the result

The largest negative monthly contribution came from broiler chicken, which reduced inflation by 0.16 percentage points, according to RRI’s account of Matamira’s remarks. Shallots contributed minus 0.14 points, airfares minus 0.11, tomatoes minus 0.08 and bird’s‑eye chillies minus 0.06.

Matamira said lower prices for shallots, tomatoes and chillies were linked to strong production, while broiler chicken prices eased as traders held ample stocks. Airfare declines were attributed to lower aviation fuel prices at the start of August and weaker demand after the school holiday period, according to RRI.

Several items moved in the opposite direction. Tembang fish contributed 0.06 percentage points to inflation, while mackerel and engine oil added 0.04 points each. Mobile phones contributed 0.04 points and tuna 0.03 points, based on the BPS data cited in local media reports.

BPS said weather conditions and strong winds affected fish prices, while increases in mobile‑phone and lubricant prices also added to inflation pressures, according to RRI’s coverage of the August release.

Based on BPS figures reported by RRI, the August readings can be summarised as follows:

• Monthly change: minus 0.40% in August 2026.
• January–August change: 1.65% cumulative inflation.
• Annual change: 2.59%, up from 2.43% in July.
• Food, beverage and tobacco: minus 1.13%, with a minus 0.43‑point contribution.
• Transport: minus 0.46%, with a minus 0.06‑point contribution.

A provincial average during a local shock

On 15 August 2026, a magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck offshore about 30 kilometres northeast of Mbay, Nagekeo, at a depth of around 15 kilometres, according to the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG). The agency initially reported a magnitude 7.0 event at 38 kilometres northeast of Mbay and a depth of 10 kilometres, later updating the parameters to magnitude 7.7 and a depth of 15 kilometres.

BMKG’s tsunami bulletins and subsequent reports described the epicentre in the sea north‑east of Nagekeo and noted that the quake prompted tsunami warnings in NTT and other provinces before authorities declared the threat over. Later reporting by national media and the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) detailed casualties, damage and continuing aftershocks across parts of Flores.

Against that backdrop, BPS Deputy for Distribution and Services Statistics Ateng Hartono explained that the provincial deflation figure reflects prices across multiple observation areas, not only those directly affected by the quake, according to Bisnis.com. He said disruption to supply routes in parts of Flores was offset by conditions in other regions of NTT because goods can move through more than one distribution channel.

Hartono also said sea transport was used to support the delivery of aid and logistics where roads were difficult to access, while the Transportation Ministry reported that distribution continued despite landslides blocking some routes, according to Bisnis.com’s account of the briefing.

Provincial BPS data cited by RRI show that monthly deflation occurred in all consumer price index (IHK) collection areas except Ngada, which recorded 0.36% inflation in August. For year‑on‑year inflation, Waingapu was above the BPS target range at 4.04%, while South Central Timor’s calendar‑year inflation was below the range at 0.84%, according to the same report.

Context and annual contributions

The August reading, released in early September, provided the first full monthly inflation result after the mid‑August earthquake. Year on year, BPS reported price increases in 10 of 11 expenditure groups, with personal care and other services rising by 0.87%, according to RRI.

Gold jewellery made the largest annual contribution, at 0.72 percentage points, followed by engine oil at 0.17 points, based on the provincial figures cited in the RRI report. Shallots, high‑school education costs, tomatoes, broiler chicken and chicken eggs helped restrain annual inflation.

BPS officials and local media have not yet published a separate August consumer price index for Nagekeo or other earthquake‑affected districts, nor detailed estimates of the quake’s impact on local prices. Further releases are expected to provide more granular information on how quickly supply routes and markets stabilised in Flores after 15 August.

Sources

• RRI Kupang
• Bisnis.com
• JPNN
• BMKG earthquake bulletin
• Medcom.id