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No fewer than 38 people have been confirmed dead after a 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck eastern Indonesia on Saturday.
Tsunami waves were recorded in several areas of the Southeast Asian nation after the early morning tremor.
Fathur Rahman, head of a state rescue agency, told Reuters that teams have yet to reach Nagekeo, the region closest to the epicentre, and communications signals there had been affected.
Rahman said attempts to reach Nagekeo by car were blocked by landslides, while another team was attempting to go by ferry.
The US Geological Survey said the epicentre of the quake was located off the north coast of the island, striking at a depth of 10 kilometres.
The initial quake was followed by two strong aftershocks in the same area, of magnitude 5.6 and 5.9.
Indonesia and neighbouring countries experience frequent earthquakes due to their location in the Pacific “Ring of Fire” — an arc of intense seismic activity stretching from Japan through Southeast Asia and across the Pacific basin.
Just days ago, a massive 7.4-magnitude earthquake ripped through Colombia, claiming the lives of more than 200 people.
The quake struck several cities across Colombia’s picturesque coffee region and damaged at least 1,500 buildings. The South American nation also sits in the Pacific Ring of Fire.
Indonesian officials fear the death toll could rise and have urged residents to seek shelter on higher grounds.
Suharyanto, head of Indonesia’s national disaster mitigation agency, said victims remain trapped in several buildings but noted that about 2,000 people had been evacuated.
In 1992, the same area was hit by a magnitude-7.5 quake, causing extensive destruction.
