Quake off Flores strands 986 Padar Island tourists, prompts Labuan Bajo evacuations

Labuan Bajo — Nearly one thousand tourists on Padar Island were evacuated back to Labuan Bajo and hotel guests in the town were briefly moved to safe areas after a powerful 7.7‑magnitude earthquake struck the Flores region on Saturday, 15 August 2026, according to Indonesia’s Tourism Ministry and local monitoring agencies.

The magnitude 7.7 quake hit offshore near Nagekeo Regency at 04:58 WIB (05:58 WITA), with the epicentre about 30 kilometres northeast of Mbay at a depth of around 15 kilometres, according to the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG).

Tourists evacuated and hotels assessed

The Tourism Ministry said 986 tourists were temporarily stranded on Padar Island after the Labuan Bajo harbormaster’s office suspended shipping following the quake and tsunami warning. The Labuan Bajo Port Authority later allowed navigation to resume, and the tourists were transported safely back to Labuan Bajo.

According to a Tourism Ministry update cited by several outlets, hotel guests in Labuan Bajo were initially moved outside buildings to designated safe areas and later returned to their accommodations once conditions were deemed secure. Identified evacuation points included the Natas Parapuar area and the field at Komodo Regional General Hospital in West Manggarai.

A monitoring report from the Labuan Bajo Flores Authority Executive Agency (BPOLBF) noted damage to several tourism facilities. Jayakarta Hotel in West Manggarai suffered structural damage and some building collapse, but guests and employees were reported safe and relocated to another hotel. In Nagekeo, Papita Mbay Hotel experienced severe damage, with coordination between authorities ongoing.

BPOLBF’s preliminary assessment indicated that other major hotels in Labuan Bajo — including Ayana, Ta’aktana Marriott, Crown, Menjaga Bay, Luwansa, Sudamala and Meurorah — were generally considered structurally safe, though minor cracks and limited damage were reported at some properties. The Tourism Ministry said electricity and internet services had largely returned to normal at accommodations, while inspections continued at tourism-support facilities.

Transport disruption and telecoms impact

The offshore earthquake and subsequent tsunami warning prompted temporary restrictions on maritime access around Padar Island and short-term adjustments to port operations in Labuan Bajo. According to situation reports compiled from government and humanitarian sources, landslides and fallen electricity poles affected roads linking several towns on Flores, including sections of the Labuan Bajo–Ruteng and Bajawa–Ende routes.

National and international media, citing Indonesia’s disaster agency BNPB, reported at least 47 fatalities and thousands of displaced residents across eastern Indonesia after the quake and its aftershocks. A humanitarian situation report in English noted that small tsunami waves were recorded at multiple observation points and that BMKG lifted the tsunami early warning later that morning.

Telecommunications operators reported service disruptions at cellular base stations in parts of East Nusa Tenggara, with networks working to restore coverage in affected districts. Aviation authorities and local media stated that Komodo International Airport in Labuan Bajo remained operational with temporary restrictions during technical inspections, while some regional flights, including services to Ende’s H. Aroeboesman Airport, were suspended pending safety checks.

Festival cancellation and tourism outlook

Tourism officials said the closing event of a local festival scheduled in the Labuan Bajo area was cancelled following the earthquake as a precaution, though the name of the festival and any rescheduling plan were not detailed in initial reports. Authorities and BPOLBF continued to monitor hotel conditions, road access and facilities on nearby islands, including Komodo Island, where damage such as the collapse of a sign wall at Loh Liang was reported.

By the evening of 15 August and in the following days, navigation to and from Labuan Bajo had gradually reopened, Komodo Airport operations were maintained under heightened safety procedures, and tourism agencies were assessing the broader impact on visitor numbers and bookings in the region. Officials emphasized that safeguarding tourists and residents remained the priority while recovery and infrastructure inspections proceeded across Flores and surrounding coastal areas.

Sources

• Labuan Bajo Productions – Flores Earthquake Impact on Labuan Bajo Tourism
• Wikipedia – 2026 Flores earthquake
• Deep Arrival – Labuan Bajo Hotels and Flights After Flores Earthquake
• Human Initiative – Situation Report #1, Earthquake NTT (English)
• Reuters – At least 47 dead in eastern Indonesia after magnitude 7.7 quake
• The Christian Post – Deadly 7.7 magnitude earthquake hits Indonesia
• RRI English – Strong Quake in East Nusa Tenggara Triggers Tsunami Alerts
• VOI News – BMKG: Tsunami Threat Status Alert 0.5–3 Meters in NTT, NTB, South Sulawesi
• Tempo.co (English) – M7.7 Earthquake Struck Nagekeo, BMKG Issues Tsunami Early Warning
• BBC News – Indonesia lifts tsunami warning after magnitude 7.7 quake
• Observer Indonesia – Flores Aftershocks Subside, BMKG Unveils Field Survey
• Jakartakita – Pasca-Gempa Flores NTT, Kemenpar Pastikan Keselamatan Wisatawan