Thousands of people displaced by a powerful earthquake in eastern Indonesia awaited much-needed aid on Monday as they camped out at schools, police stations and government offices, with many stuck outside.

The 7.7-magnitude quake early on Saturday killed 53 people and injured more than 100. Rescue officials have said there are no reports of people missing.

However, the number of people unable to return to their homes had risen to 12,800 by Monday morning, dispersed among several towns on Flores island, Berton Suar Pelita Panjaitan, spokesman for Indonesia's BNPB national disaster agency, told AFP.

Many Flores inhabitants slept outside for a second night in a row, afraid to go home as hundreds of aftershocks rumbled through the area.