A powerful magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck eastern Indonesia on Saturday, killing at least 53 people and displacing thousands.

The quake was followed by nearly 1,000 aftershocks. Buildings were toppled as residents feared a tsunami.

“The quake was massive and the shock was so strong that we all ran for our lives with 13 others,” said one resident.

Tsunami waves of less than 1 meter (3 feet) were recorded in several areas before authorities lifted the warning three hours later.

In Maumere, a port town on Flores Island, rescue officials reported 20 dead, six injured and two people trapped under rubble. Fathur Rahman, head of the city’s rescue agency, said residents remained trapped in multiple buildings across the affected region while landslides blocked roads.

Approximately 2,000 residents in Nagekeo evacuated as homes, warehouses and government buildings sustained damage. Power outages and traffic congestion were reported in parts of the regency.

East Nusa Tenggara Governor Emanuel Melkiades Laka Lena stated that at least five people died when buildings collapsed during sleep.

The U.S. Geological Survey identified the epicenter as 42 miles north-northwest of Ende city in East Nusa Tenggara province.

Later, a magnitude 6.4 earthquake struck western Sumatra.

Authorities recorded at least 995 aftershocks; only 46 were felt by residents, with the largest measuring 6.2 on the Richter scale.

Over 900 homes were destroyed in East Nusa Tenggara province, and an additional 450 were damaged, displacing about 5,000 people into temporary shelters. In the Flores region alone, 241 homes were damaged.

East Nusa Tenggara Police Chief Rudi Darmoko reported severe building collapses and power outages that hindered communication and search-and-rescue operations. Landslides in Ende regency also cut off the Trans-Flores highway, a critical route spanning Flores Island.