DOMPU ~ A 6.7-magnitude earthquake struck off Sumbawa island on Monday, killing three, injuring 55 and damaging hundreds of homes, officials said as repeated aftershocks rattled nerves.

Buildings collapsed in Dompu and Bima districts and officials rushed to reach remote areas as frightened residents gathered outdoors, with some fleeing to higher ground in fear of potential tsunamis.

Health Ministry spokesman Rustam Pakaya said that three people had died, including a five-year-old boy, while 55 people had been injured. He did not provide further details on the fatalities.

Officials struggled to reach Dompu’s Kilo area due to a quake-triggered stoneslide blocking the access road but Syafruddin, a paramedic at a health centre there, said more than 100 houses were destroyed.

The earthquake, which hit at 12:02 am, occurred 44 kilometers west of Raba and 349 kilometers east of Denpasar, Bali, at a depth of 30 kilometers, monitoring agencies said.