7.7 quake kills at least 38 in Indonesia, 230 aftershocks hit Flores

A magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck off Indonesia's Flores Island early Saturday, killing at least 38 people and injuring 13 others, according to the National Disaster Management Agency. The Times of India, however, reports a death toll of 47. The shallow quake, at a depth of 10 km, hit near Ende at 5:58 am local time, triggering a tsunami warning that was later lifted. More than 230 aftershocks, including a 6.1 tremor, followed.

Rescuers are searching for survivors trapped in collapsed buildings in Sikka, Manggarai and East Manggarai regencies. Landslides have blocked roads and cut the Trans-Flores highway, hampering relief efforts. Around 2,000 people fled their homes in Nagekeo. The European Union offered satellite support. Indonesia sits on the Pacific Ring of Fire, a zone of frequent earthquakes and volcanic activity.