Britons reported safe after deadly Lombok earthquake - Foreign Office

A number of Britons have been confirmed safe after an earthquake on Indonesia's Lombok island killed at least 15 people and injured more than 160 others, the Foreign Office has said.

Officials said on Monday that they would continue to monitor the search and rescue operation on Mount Rinjani amid reports that there are more than 500 tourists trapped on the mountain.

More than 1,000 homes were damaged on the island after the 6.4 magnitude earthquake hit on Sunday morning at a shallow depth, which tends to inflict greater devastation.

Rescuers were trying to reach a suspected more than 500 people trapped after climbing up the active volcano, according to reports.

A Foreign Office spokeswoman said: "Embassy officials are in close contact with Indonesian authorities about the search and rescue operation on Mount Rinjani.

"A number of British nationals are confirmed safe; we are continuing to monitor the situation."

The spokeswoman was unable to immediately confirm whether the Britons were rescued from the mountain.

Lombok, which lies east of Bali, attracts tourists from across the globe with its hiking trails and beaches.

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