A MODERATELY strong earthquake and an aftershock hit Indonesia’s resort island of Bali early Saturday, killing at least three people and destroying dozens of homes.

The quake hit just before dawn, causing people to run outdoors in a panic. It struck just after the island has begun to reopen to tourism as the pandemic wanes.

The U.S. Geological Survey said the magnitude 4.8 quake was centered 62 kilometers northeast of Singaraja, a Bali port town. Its shallow depth of 10 kilometers may have amplified the amount of damage.

Gede Darmada, head of the island’s Search and Rescue Agency, said the agency was still collecting updates on damage and casualties.

Apart from the three confirmed dead, at least seven people were reported hurt, with head injuries or broken bones.

The earthquake triggered landslides in a hilly district, killing at least two people and cutting off access to at least three villages, Darmada said.

It toppled homes and temples in Karangasem, the area closest to the epicenter, killing a 3-year-old girl who was hit by falling debris, he said.

“Nearly 60 percent of the houses in our village were damaged and can no longer be lived in,” said I Nengah Kertawa, head of Bunga village in Karangasem, one of the worst-hit communities.

Houses and government facilities also were damaged in Trunyan and in Kintamani, a popular sightseeing destination with a stunning lake.

Known as the “island of the gods,” Bali is famed for its temples, scenic volcanos and beautiful white-sand beaches.

On Thursday, the island reopened to international travelers for the first time in more than a year after Indonesia’s COVID-19 caseload declined considerably.(SD-Agencies)