The powerful earthquake that struck eastern Indonesia has killed at least 51 people and displaced about 5,000, while rescue teams work to clear roads blocked by landslides and reach survivors still trapped under the rubble. The magnitude-7.7 quake occurred at 5:58 a.m. local time yesterday, with its epicenter about 68 km north-northwest of the city of Ende on the island of Flores, in the province of East Nusa Tenggara, according to the U.S. Geological Survey, which estimated the depth at 10 km.

The earthquake, followed by about 341 aftershocks, is one of the most deadly Indonesia has experienced in recent years. In total, 36 people were seriously injured and another 77 suffered minor injuries, Deputy Health Minister Benjamin Paulus Octavianus said at a televised press conference.

According to Indonesia’s disaster agency BNPB, more than 3,300 people in Sikka Regency, one of the hardest-hit areas, fled their homes or were left stranded, taking shelter in a sports hall. In the port town of Maumere, some residents camped outside collapsed houses under tarpaulins, while others received care in a makeshift tent set up outside a local hospital.

Lieutenant General Suharyanto, head of the BNPB, said the earthquake destroyed at least 157 houses and damaged nearly 200 more, forcing about 2,000 residents of Nagekeo — the area closest to the epicenter — to take refuge in temporary shelters. He added that three helicopters and a rescue ship have been deployed to support emergency operations in a region where the scattered geography of small islands makes access difficult.

The chief of police for East Nusa Tenggara, Rudi Darmoko, said the disaster caused severe damage and building collapses across the province. Rescue teams have not yet fully reached Nagekeo, where landslides have blocked roads and cut communications, Fathur Rahman, head of the local search and rescue agency in Maumere, said, adding that a team is attempting to reach the area by ferry. Overall, more than 3,500 military personnel and police officers have been deployed, cabinet secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya said. More than 1,300 homes were damaged and 20 petrol stations remain closed due to power outages, according to state energy company Pertamina.

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