Death toll from Indonesia's 7.7-magnitude earthquake rises to 70

JAKARTA -- The death toll from a 7.7-magnitude earthquake that struck Indonesia's East Nusa Tenggara province has risen to 70, with 132 others injured, authorities said Tuesday.

Bramantyo, operations director of Indonesia's National Search and Rescue Agency, said 40 of the injured were seriously hurt and 92 sustained minor injuries.

With no further reports of missing people, search and rescue teams have shifted their focus to area sweeping and support for recovery operations led by the National Disaster Management Agency.

Meanwhile, the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency recorded 2,357 aftershocks in the Flores region as of 3 pm Tuesday. The strongest measured magnitude 6.2, while 24 aftershocks were above magnitude 5 and 72 were felt by residents.

The search and rescue agency has deployed helicopters to isolated areas to transport medical personnel and evacuate residents requiring treatment. More than 5,000 people remain displaced in evacuation centers across the province.

The earthquake struck on Aug 15, with its epicenter near Mbay in Nagekeo regency. Authorities continue to monitor seismic activity and provide medical and recovery assistance in affected areas.