At least 48 killed after series of quakes and a tsunami hit Indonesia

Indonesia's Disaster Management Agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho warned that the death toll may rise.

Medical team help wounded residents outside a hospital in on Saturday.

Sutopo also said thousands of homes have been destroyed, bridges have collapsed and the electricity is cut off in most of Palu City in the Donggala region of Sulawesi, the BNPB said.

After a local hospital was severely damaged, medical officials opted to treat dozens of wounded residents just outside the building, Nugroho said.

Authorities are urging residents to not go inside their homes and sleep away from building on fields, roads or yards because of possible aftershocks.

The horrific scene began Friday when the first in a series of tremors was felt at 3 p.m. (4 a.m. ET) 35 miles north of Palu, according to the United States Geological Survey.

A 7.5 magnitude tremor -- the largest shock recorded Friday -- triggered a tsunami that hit beaches in the cities of Palu and Donggala, officials said.

The tsunami was "about three meters high," Nugroho said.

Rescuers walk among debris after a series of earthquakes and a tsunami in Palu on Friday.

The shaking of the 7.5-magnitude tremor was "severe" and the likely damage following the quake was considered "moderate to heavy," the USGS said.

A localized tsunami also hit beaches in the cities of Palu and Donggala as a result of the tremors, according to the BNPB.

An early tsunami warning had been issued by the Indonesian meteorological agency, but was later lifted after the agency ascertained that the water had receded.

Troops from the Indonesian National Armed Forces were being deployed to help deal with the effects of the earthquake and tsunami, according to the BNPB.

Writing on his official Twitter account Friday, Indonesian President Joko Widodo said he was monitoring the situation and preparing for any post-earthquake eventualities.

"May our brothers and sisters remain calm and be safe," he wrote.

A resident is seen beside the collapsed brick wall of her house at Tobadak village in Central Mamuju, western Sulawesi province, on September 28 after a strong earthquake hit the area.

Local media reports that the airport at Palu will be closed until Saturday evening.

The quakes come a month after a trio of earthquakes hit several islands in the South Pacific and Indonesia, including Lombok, which is still recovering from the effects of an August 5 earthquake that killed more than 430 people.

CNN's Hande Atay Alam and Judith Vonberg contributed to this report. Mochamad Andri also contributed to the reporting.

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