A powerful magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck off the north coast of Flores Island in East Nusa Tenggara early on 15 August 2026, killing at least 51 people and causing widespread damage to infrastructure across the island. Rescue operations are ongoing.
What Happened
The quake struck at 5:58am local time, with its epicentre approximately 68 kilometres north-northwest of Ende, the main city on Flores. The USGS recorded the depth at 10 kilometres — a shallow focus that significantly amplified surface shaking and structural damage across several districts.
More than 230 aftershocks followed throughout the day, the strongest reaching M6.2. Buildings collapsed across multiple communities, and landslides have blocked sections of the Trans-Flores Highway, the roughly 700-kilometre road that connects communities across the mountainous island. Access to some interior areas remains cut off as of 16 August.
Impact on Travellers
The most severely affected areas are Ende and the central and eastern portions of Flores. Labuan Bajo on the far western tip of the island — the main gateway for Komodo trips and Kelimutu crater lake excursions — has not been directly struck, but overland travel across Flores is severely disrupted.
Travellers with itineraries that involve crossing the island by road should treat all routes as potentially impassable until confirmed open by local authorities or operators. Air connections at Ende Airport (ENE) and Labuan Bajo (LBJ) may be affected — contact your airline directly for the latest flight status.
If You Are in the Area
- Do not attempt overland travel across central or eastern Flores until roads are confirmed passable
- Follow all guidance from local authorities and stay close to your accommodation until the aftershock sequence stabilises
- If you have travel insurance, contact your provider — medical evacuation and trip interruption coverage may apply
- Register with your country’s embassy if you are in an affected area
We cover what to look for in a policy in our Indonesia travel insurance guide. For remote island trips involving Flores, Komodo, or eastern Indonesia, comprehensive coverage including emergency evacuation is strongly recommended.
The situation remains active. Aftershocks at M5+ will continue in the coming days. We will update this article as road access and flight status becomes clearer.
Sources: Al Jazeera, CNN, NPR, USGS — 15 August 2026