Strong earthquake in eastern Indonesia kills 38

The death toll from a powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake that struck eastern Indonesia has risen to 38. The quake, which hit early Saturday morning, caused buildings and houses to collapse, triggering panic among residents, authorities said, citing local media.

Kompas.tv reported, quoting the country's national disaster management agency, that at least 38 people have died and 13 others injured. Among the injured, 11 are reported to have relatively minor injuries.

Indonesia's Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency issued a tsunami warning for several areas immediately after the quake but later withdrew it.

According to the US Geological Survey, the earthquake struck the Flores region at 5:58am local time at a depth of 10 kilometres (6.2 miles). Two aftershocks were felt, one of which measured 6.1.

Strong tremors were reported from various locations, causing panic-stricken residents to flee their homes and seek shelter on the streets. Authorities have already relocated about 2,000 people from the affected areas to safer shelters.

Rescue teams are continuing their operations in the affected areas of Flores Island, working to assess the full extent of the damage and casualties. More information is expected as emergency rescue operations continue.

Indonesia is located on the Pacific 'Ring of Fire', a region surrounded by volcanoes and fault lines, making it prone to frequent earthquakes.