A powerful earthquake jolted eastern Indonesia today, killing at least one person, crumpling homes and briefly triggering a regionwide tsunami warning, officials said as they surveyed the damage.

The 7.5-magnitude quake struck off the coast of Sulawesi island in the middle of the night, sending thousands fleeing homes, hotels and even hospitals.

The U.S. Geological Survey said the earthquake struck 54 miles from the nearest city, Gorantalo, on Sulawesi island. It was centered 13 miles beneath the sea and was followed by two strong aftershocks.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center initially warned the temblor had the potential to generate a destructive tsunami along coasts within 600 miles. But even after local officials lifted the tsunami alert, frightened Sulawesi residents refused to go back indoors.

In December 2004, a massive earthquake off Indonesia’s Sumatra island triggered a tsunami that battered much of the Indian Ocean coastline and killed more than 230,000 people.