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Two days after the magnitude 7.5 earthquake hit the island, the death toll has risen to more than 400, but authorities say more bodies could be found.
Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, spokesman for the Indonesian Disaster Management Agency, estimates that 2.4 million people were affected by the earthquake on Friday. Hundreds of people were seriously injured and at least 17,000 people were left homeless.
The lack of heavy equipment and personnel slowed rescue efforts in the coastal city of Palu, where workers were scrambling to save some fifty people trapped under the debris of a collapsed hotel.
Indonesian President Joko Widodo is due Sunday to visit the stricken town of Palu.
Electricity and communications have been cut off, and roads that are severely damaged or obstructed by landslides still make it difficult to assess damage, Sutopo said.
"It's not just people living in large urban areas, but many people are living in remote communities that are hard to reach," Jan Gelfand, head of the International Red Cross in Indonesia, told CNN.
As Palu airport is closed, aid workers have to travel to Palu by road. Sulawesi is one of the largest islands in the world and the journey from the nearest airport is about 10-12 hours. "We already have people on the road but you never know what damage there is on the road infrastructure."
In Palu, authorities urged residents not to return home Saturday night and to sleep away from buildings, fields, roads or yards because of the risk of aftershocks.
Injured scores, the hospital calls for help
After the local hospital was damaged, medical staff chose to treat dozens of injured people outside the building, Sutopo said.
Dr. Komang Adi Sujendra, director of Undata Hospital in Palu, asked for help from the public after the earthquake.
"At the moment, in our hospital, the electricity is cut everywhere in Palu, the roads are cracked, the telephone network does not work," he said in a video posted on Twitter. "We hope for help."
"We need tents, medicines, paintings, nurses …"
Air controller dies after trying to escape
One of the air traffic controllers who stayed to make sure a passenger plane took off was among the dozens of casualties.
Anthonius Gunawan Agung, 21, died at the hospital after jumping from the traffic control tower at Palu airport while he thought the tower was collapsing.
His colleagues had evacuated the tower when they felt the earthquakes, but he stayed to make sure a Batik plane took off safely, Air Nav Indonesia, the agency that oversees air navigation, said in a statement. a statement.
"We felt a deep sorrow, that God gives Anthonius the best place by his side, as well as other victims of the Donggala earthquake," said Air Nav spokesman Yohanes. Sirait.
A massive earthquake
The horrible scene began Friday when the first of a series of tremors was felt at 3 pm. (3 pm ET) 35 miles (56 km) north of Palu, according to the United States Geological Survey.
Three earthquakes of magnitude 4.9 and above were recorded up to three hours before the earthquake near Palu, the USGS said.
The earthquake triggered a tsunami that hit the beaches of the cities of Palu and Donggala, officials said.
The tsunami was "about three meters high," Nugroho said.
The magnitude 7.5 tremor was "severe" and the probable earthquake damage was rated as "moderate to significant," the USGS said.
A series of earthquakes was reported following the earthquake, including a magnitude 5.8 shock just 12 minutes later.
The Indonesian Meteorological Agency had issued an alert at the start of the tsunami, but it was later lifted after the agency found that the water had receded.
Indonesian President Joko Widodo said the army was being called to the disaster area to help the search and rescue teams get to the victims and find the bodies.
Writing on his official Twitter account on Friday, Widodo said he was monitoring the situation and was preparing for any eventualities after the earthquake.
"Let our brothers and sisters stay calm and safe," he wrote.
Stella Ko from CNN contributed to this report.
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