Last updated: August 2026 · Prices & availability verified for the 2026/2027 season
Last updated: August 16, 2026 · Written from Labuan Bajo by the Komodo Luxury team
The earthquake that struck Flores on Saturday, August 15, 2026 was centered at sea, roughly 200 km (about 125 miles) northeast of Labuan Bajo — off the island’s north-central coast near Mbay, in Nagekeo Regency. As of August 16, 2026, Labuan Bajo, at the far western tip of Flores, is open and operating: Komodo Airport is receiving flights, the Harbormaster has officially reopened sailing, and Komodo National Park was never closed.
TL;DR: The M7.7 epicenter lay in the sea near Mbay/Nagekeo, about 200 km northeast of Labuan Bajo. The most serious damage — and the lives lost — are concentrated in central and eastern Flores. Labuan Bajo, on the opposite end of the island, saw limited moderate damage and kept functioning; so far, flights, sailing, and park trips are all running.
- Magnitude: M7.7 (BMKG’s initial estimate of M7.0 was later revised), at 05:58 WITA on August 15, 2026, at a shallow depth of about 15 km
- Epicenter: at sea, north of Flores, near Mbay/Nagekeo — roughly 200 km northeast of Labuan Bajo
- Most affected areas: central and eastern Flores — Nagekeo, Sikka, Manggarai, and Manggarai Timur
- Labuan Bajo: limited, moderate damage; the town is functioning; Komodo Airport’s runway and apron were declared safe and remained operational
- Sailing: officially reopened the same day by the Harbormaster (Maklumat Pelayaran No. 05/MP-VIII/2026); Komodo National Park was not closed
- Tsunami: BMKG’s early warning was lifted about 3 hours later; no destructive tsunami formed — the Labuan Bajo tide gauge recorded a wave of just ±0.36 m
Where exactly was the epicenter?
Picture Flores as a long, narrow island stretched east to west. Labuan Bajo sits at its far western tip, facing west toward the islands of Komodo National Park. The epicenter was on the opposite side of the island: offshore in the sea along the north-central coast, near the town of Mbay in Nagekeo Regency. The line between them covers roughly 200 km — the distance between two different regions, not two neighborhoods.
Because the quake was large and shallow (~15 km deep), the shaking was felt widely across East Nusa Tenggara. But feeling a quake and being damaged by it are very different things, and the geography above explains why the impact varied so much from east to west.
Which parts of Flores were most affected?
The Flores earthquake affected areas are concentrated in central and eastern Flores — the regencies of Nagekeo, Sikka, Manggarai, and Manggarai Timur, closest to the epicenter. This is where the earthquake did its real harm: dozens of lives were lost in central and eastern Flores, and many families there are grieving.
Before any travel talk, that deserves saying plainly. Many of our crew and guides call Flores and the wider East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) province home. Our thoughts are with our neighbors in the affected regencies, and our team stands with the NTT community as relief and recovery efforts continue.
Labuan Bajo, some 200 km from the epicenter at the island’s western tip, experienced limited, moderate damage — including to one hotel — and the town has kept functioning throughout. So far, daily life, the port, and tourism services are operating.
How far is Labuan Bajo from the affected areas?
| Location | Position | Distance from epicenter | Status as of Aug 16, 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Epicenter | At sea near Mbay/Nagekeo, north-central Flores coast | — | Offshore; shallow depth (~15 km) |
| Central & eastern Flores (Nagekeo, Sikka, Manggarai, Manggarai Timur) | Central/eastern interior and coast | Closest to the epicenter | Most affected; relief efforts ongoing |
| Labuan Bajo | Far western tip of Flores | ~200 km southwest | Limited moderate damage; town, port, and airport functioning |
| Komodo National Park | Islands west of Labuan Bajo | Farther still from the epicenter | Never closed; trips operating |
How is Labuan Bajo doing, 200 km from the epicenter?
Here is the first-hand picture. Our crews were at sea with guests when the earthquake struck that morning; every guest and crew member was safe and accounted for, and full safety protocols were followed. Our phinisi fleet returned to the water the same afternoon.
The official picture matches what we saw. Komodo Airport’s runway and apron were declared safe and the airport stayed operational — sections of taxiway were closed for inspection and some flights were briefly adjusted, but operations were back to normal by the afternoon of August 15 (full details in our Komodo Airport status update). The Harbormaster (KSOP Labuan Bajo) reopened sailing the very same day through Maklumat Pelayaran No. 05/MP-VIII/2026, after BMKG declared the tsunami potential over. And Komodo National Park was not closed at any point — trips ran normally on August 16. For the broader picture beyond geography, see our companion piece: Is Labuan Bajo safe after the earthquake?
Does 200 km mean your Komodo trip is unaffected?
Distance explains why Labuan Bajo kept functioning — it is not a promise about the future. Aftershocks were felt in the first days, and our operations follow one rule: we sail only under BMKG and Harbormaster clearance, with full safety protocols on every departure. So far, Komodo boat tours and multi-day Labuan Bajo itineraries are operating normally, including connections for travelers coming from Bali.
One honest caveat: if your plans include an overland journey through central or eastern Flores — the areas closest to the epicenter — routing there deserves extra care right now. Ask our team before finalizing an overland leg of any Flores tour package; sea-based Komodo itineraries departing Labuan Bajo are a separate matter and are running.
And if the news has made you hesitant: our Sail Again Guarantee protects 100% of your payment as travel credit under a flexible rebooking guarantee, so you can move your dates without penalty. We’ve laid out how to think about that decision in Should I cancel my Komodo trip?
What would change this answer?
We’d rather tell you what to watch than ask you to trust a static page. This assessment would change if:
- BMKG issues a new warning for the region — we pause and follow it immediately;
- The Harbormaster suspends sailing from Labuan Bajo — no clearance, no departure, ever;
- Komodo Airport restricts operations — we’d flag it here and to every booked guest;
- Park authorities limit access to Komodo National Park.
None of these applies as of August 16, 2026. We are updating this page as the situation develops.
Questions travelers are asking us right now
I read it was a magnitude 7.7 quake north of Flores with a tsunami alert — was there a tsunami in Labuan Bajo?
No destructive tsunami formed. BMKG issued an early warning as a precaution and lifted it about three hours later; the Labuan Bajo tide gauge recorded a wave of only ±0.36 m, with ±0.94 m measured at Maurole/Ende farther east. Boats were sailing from Labuan Bajo again that same afternoon.
We saw there was damage on Flores — is Labuan Bajo itself damaged?
The serious damage is concentrated in central and eastern Flores, near the epicenter. Labuan Bajo, about 200 km away at the island’s western tip, saw limited moderate damage — including to one hotel — and the town, port, and airport have kept functioning so far.
Are there still aftershocks? Should we cancel, or is it okay to come?
Aftershocks were felt in the first days, which is normal after a large quake, and authorities are monitoring continuously. What we can tell you: sailing was officially reopened by the Harbormaster, trips are running under full safety protocols, and if you’d rather wait, the Sail Again Guarantee converts your payment into travel credit so you lose nothing by choosing a later date.
Is it safe to travel by boat from Lombok to Flores right now?
Sea routes operate under each port authority’s clearance, so conditions on the Lombok–Flores crossing can differ from Labuan Bajo’s. What we can confirm first-hand: sailing from Labuan Bajo has been officially reopened, and our own departures are running. For a specific crossing, message our team and we’ll check the latest status for your date.
Our trip is later in August — how will we know conditions closer to our date?
Departure decisions always follow BMKG and Harbormaster guidance, and our team confirms status with every guest ahead of their trip. So far trips from August 16 onward are operating normally; if anything changes for your date, you’ll hear it from us directly.
Ready when you are
Labuan Bajo sits 200 km from where this earthquake did its worst — far enough to keep functioning, close enough to grieve with its neighbors. Our boats are back on the water, and our team on the ground is answering questions daily. When you’re ready, explore a private Komodo trip or join an open trip — or simply ask us anything on WhatsApp at +62 811-3823-875. We’re here in Labuan Bajo, ready with the same straight answers.
