India, Aug. 15 -- A powerful magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck off the coast of Indonesia early Saturday, collapsing buildings and homes, killing at least five people and triggering panic across the earthquake-prone region.

Authorities initially issued a tsunami warning and urged coastal residents to move to higher ground. The warning was later lifted after Indonesia's Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency reported no significant sea-level changes posing a threat to coastal communities.

The US Geological Survey said the quake struck the Flores region at a depth of 10 kilometres at 5:58 a.m. local time. Its epicentre was 68 kilometres north-northwest of Ende in East Nusa Tenggara province. Several aftershocks followed.

East Nusa ...