MAUMERE, Indonesia (AP) — A powerful magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck off the coast of Indonesia early Saturday, killing at least 40 people, collapsing buildings and causing panic in a region prone to deadly quakes. Authorities said dozens of residents were injured.

Authorities issued a tsunami warning and urged coastal residents to move to higher ground, but later lifted the warning when Indonesia’s meteorological agency said monitoring showed no significant sea-level changes that would pose a threat to coastal communities.

The US Geological Survey said the quake hit Indonesia’s Flores region with a depth of 10 kilometers (six miles) at 5:58 a.m. local time. Its epicenter was 68 km (42 miles) north-northwest of the city of Ende in East Nusa Tenggara province.

The quake triggered landslides and generated small tsunami

The meteorological agency said the quake was followed by 235 aftershocks by Saturday afternoon, with the largest up to magnitude 6.2.

The agency’s sea-level monitoring stations recorded tsunami waves reaching coastal villages in Manggarai and East Manggarai regencies, with waves up to 1.61 meters (5.3 feet) high, while waves measuring 0.94 meters (3.1 feet) were observed in Maurole, Ende Regency.

Videos obtained by The Associated Press showed a coastal village blanketed in mud and debris after a 1.61-meter (5.3 feet) tsunami reached Ngada village in East Manggarai. Fishing boats were stranded ashore, infrastructure damaged, and homes surrounded by sediment left by receding waters.

Tsunami waves exceeding 0.5 meters (1.6 feet) were also detected in Bulukumba, South Sulawesi, and Sape in Bima Regency

The quake has collapsed buildings

East Nusa Tenggara Police Chief Rudi Darmoko said the earthquake caused severe damage and collapsed buildings. He said power outages in cities and villages have hampered information flow and complicated search........

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