Hundreds were also injured when the 6.2-magnitude quake struck in the early hours, triggering panic among the terrified residents of the island, which was hit by a huge quake and tsunami two and a half years ago that killed thousands.
So far, 29 bodies have been hauled from beneath crumpled buildings in Mamuju, a city of about 110,000 in West Sulawesi province, while another eight were killed south of the area after the quake struck.
"We don't know how many more are missing," said Arianto from the rescue agency in Mamuju, who like many Indonesians goes by one name.
"There are still people trapped beneath the rubble."
Rescuers were searching for more than a dozen patients and staff trapped under a levelled Mamuju hospital.
"The hospital is flattened -- it collapsed," Arianto said.
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