Rescuers search for survivors as Indonesian 7.7 quake death toll rises to 47

A 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck off Indonesia's eastern Flores island on Saturday, killing at least 47 people and injuring 50 others, according to disaster officials. The death toll had risen from 40 following the initial reports. The powerful quake caused damage to nearly 160 houses, educational and health facilities, and other public buildings on the popular tourist island.

Rescue teams are searching for survivors trapped in the debris, with landslides complicating efforts by cutting off roads. About 2,000 people are currently housed in temporary shelters, and aid packages weighing a total of 275 tonnes have been sent by the government. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and the European Union have offered support for search and rescue efforts using Copernicus satellites.

Yulian Juita Ekalia, a university lecturer in Ruteng city, described the earthquake as feeling like being on a trampoline, with everything in her house falling down when she emerged from her home. The epicenter of the shallow quake was located near the north coast of the island, and a second, deep inland quake was measured at magnitude 6.9 near Pematangsiantar on Sumatra island.