91 killed after 7.0-magnitude quake jolts Indonesia's island

The death toll rose to 91 and the number of injured people was up to 209 after a 7.0-magnitude quake hit tourist destination of Lombok Island in central Indonesia, an official said on Monday.

The jolt destroyed thousands of houses and buildings, forcing thousands of people to flee homes and take shelters, spokesman of the National Agency for Disaster Management Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said.

The impact of Sunday's powerful quake extended on Monday as a rescue for tourists in three small islands is underway, said the official.

"The impact of the quake is looked to extend further as risks assessment persists," he told Xinhua in a text message.

Lombok Utara district suffers the most as it is situated the nearest to the quake center, the official added.

About 1,000 holiday makers, including foreign and domestic visitors, who have been trapped in three small popular destinations, located near main Lombok island, have been rescued, Sutopo added.

Poor access of communication still hampers emergency relief efforts, he said.

Meanwhile, aids are flowing into the affected-areas, including foods, drugs, and medical personnel, the spokesman said.

In order to support relief efforts, two helicopters and communication devices were sent to the scene along with one navy hospital ship, he added.

To monitor the condition and presence of the tourists, a crisis center was established by the Ministry of Tourism, said Sutopo.

The jolts caused minor damages in both Lombok international airport in Lombok Island and Ngurah Rai International Airport in Bali Island, notwithstanding, they did not halt the operation, an official of transport ministry Pramintohadi said.

The official, however, cautioned all stakeholders of aviation industry to be alert on the further risks of aftershocks.

"We must remain cautious and all stakeholders of aviation have to step up coordination. Check all flight facilities and its supporting facilities so that the flight can be done safely and well," he told Xinhua in a text message.

The 7.0-magnitude quake struck on Sunday with epicenter at 18 km northwest Lombok Timur district and shallow of 15 km under-earth, the temblor was also felt strongly in nearby Bali Island and East Java province, according to the meteorology and geophysics agency.

The Sunday's quake worsened the downside risks of another strong quake of 6.4-magnitude striking Lombok Island on July 29, that left 17 people dead, 365 others injured, 8,871 people displaced and 14,940 houses and building damaged, according to the disaster agency.

Indonesia is prone to quake as it lies on a vulnerable quake-hit zone so called "the Pacific Ring of Fire."