At least 47 dead after 7.7 magnitude earthquake hits off coast of Indonesia, as a second tremor in 24-hours hits another island
Rescue teams are struggling to reach the Nagekeo region in Flores, where the first earthquake hit, as a second serious quake strikes the Indonesian island of Sumatra
A powerful 7.7. magnitude earthquake struck the coast of Indonesia on Friday, killing at least 33 people and causing widespread damage - as reports of a second tremor in 24 hours emerge.
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The initial quake hit the island of Flores at a shallow depth of 10 kilometres just before 6am local time (11pm UK time), and was followed by several aftershocks, according to the US Geological Survey.
A second earthquake with a magnitude of 6.9 has since been reported in on a different Indonesian island, Sumatra, according to the the Euro-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC).
The epicentre of the second tremor was 7km northwest of the city of Pematangsiantar, in the north of the island, but was measured around 180km below ground, thus eliminating the risk of a subsequent tsunami.
Following the earlier quake on Flores, rescue teams are struggling to reach the Nagekeo region, with some trapped under rubble from the quake and entry routes blocked by landslides.
In the immediate aftermath, the head of a local rescue agency confirmed at least 20 people had been found dead around the port town of Maumere, with a further six people rushed to hospital with severe injuries.
Since then, local officials have confirmed the deaths of a further 18, bringing the total number killed to 38.
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About 2,000 residents in Nagekeo were evacuated and several of houses and buildings were damaged, according to Indonesian national disaster mitigation agency BNPB.
A regional police chief said power outages on the island had also complicated the flow of information, as well as search and rescue efforts.
"We are continuing to collect reports of damage and casualties, but there are communication disruptions," Rudi Darmoko said.
At the time of writing, 54 homes have been severely damaged, with a further 20 houses sustaining moderate to light damage.
Six government offices, five healthcare facilities, and an educational facility were also damaged in the quake.
Five airports across Indonesia's East Nusa Tenggara province were affected by the earthquake, with some airport terminals damaged but all runways still usable.
Two ferry ports were also "severely damaged" by the quake, according to the national disaster agency, but other ports in the region were still considered usable.
In the aftermath of the quake, a tsunami warning was issued by Indonesian authorities, urging coastal citizens to move to higher ground.
Residents were soon pictured evacuating to nearby hills in the East Manggarai region, but after waves of less than a metre (3 feet) were recorded in some areas, the warning was lifted by authorities around three hours later.
The epicentre of the quake was roughly 68 km (42 miles) northwest of the city of Ende, the regional capital, on the island of Flores.
Flores is part of Indonesia's East Nusa Tenggara province, which is a few hundred kilometres north of Australia.
Indonesia is prone to earthquakes and volcanic activity due to its location on the Ring of Fire - an arc of volcanoes and fault lines located in the Pacific Ocean.
It was the location of one of the strongest earthquakes in recorded history back in 2004.