A 7.3-magnitude earthquake struck eastern Indonesia on Tuesday, the US Geological Survey said, causing panic but no deaths or major damage were reported.
No significant damage or fatalities were immediately reported, but Indonesian authorities urged caution with more than a dozen smaller aftershocks detected.
While the impact of the quake was still being assessed, the intensity of the shaking sparked panic in many areas, with videos from some towns and villages shared on social media showing people running outside, some holding small children.
The USGS placed the epicentre at a depth of 18.5 kilometres (11 miles), around 100 kilometres north of the Flores island town of Maumere, home to more than 80,000 people, where the quake disrupted coronavirus inoculations. Streets were seen clogged with traffic as vehicles attempted to leave for safe locations.
