At least 38 people died after an earthquake of magnitude 7.7 and dozens of aftershocks struck off eastern Indonesia as rescue workers rushed to reach areas closest to the epicenter.
Tsunami waves of less than 1 meter were recorded in several areas after the early-morning tremor. The tsunami warning was lifted about three hours after the quake.
Earlier, rescuers in the port town of Maumere found 20 dead, six injured and two trapped under the rubble, said Fathur Rahman, head of the city’s rescue agency.
Maumere is the main town in Sikka Regency on Flores Island in the east of Indonesia’s vast archipelago.
Teams have yet to reach Nagekeo, the region closest to the epicenter, and communications signals there were affected, Fathur told Reuters.
Attempts to reach Nagekeo by car were blocked by landslides, while another team was attempting to go by ferry, he said.
(Reuters)