At least 20 people died, and thousands of residents were forced to flee.
Clarifying the scale of the disaster, rescue service officer Fathur Rahman told the AFP news agency that at least 20 people died on this tourist-favorite island, in four different cities.
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“Reports show that 20 people died, six were injured, and two are still under the rubble,” Fathur Rahman said by phone from a boat, heading to the hardest-hit Nagekeo district.
It is reported that in the neighboring Mangarajau district, two people were trapped under rubble after a 7.7 magnitude earthquake.
“Our main goal will be to find victims buried under the rubble,” said Fathur Rahman. He added that rescue work is hindered by landslides blocking several roads.
Residents of Nagekeo – the area closest to the epicenter – rushed to higher ground when the sea receded on Saturday – a phenomenon that can be a sign of an approaching tsunami.
Later, the tsunami warning was lifted, but people were warned not to return to damaged buildings, fearing they could collapse after repeated shocks.
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Dozens of aftershocks were already felt, the strongest of which was 6.1 magnitude.
The epicenter of the shallow earthquake was near the northern coast of the island, about 68 kilometers northwest of the coastal city of Ende, US and Indonesian officials reported.
The full extent of the damage is still being assessed.
The Indonesian Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) initially warned of possible tsunami waves after the earthquake and urged people to move to higher ground.
Many people evacuated from the cities on foot, motorcycles, and cars.
“We canceled (the tsunami warning), but we will continue to monitor the sea level,” said BMKG official Wijayanto.
