Pope Francis prays for Indonesia after the deadly earthquake

Pope Francis sent a telegram on Friday with his condolences for Indonesia after a massive earthquake killed at least 67 people on the island of Sulawesi.

Hundreds of people were also injured in the 6,2 magnitude earthquake, according to Jan Gelfand, head of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies in Indonesia.

Pope Francis was "saddened to learn of the tragic loss of life and the destruction of property caused by the violent earthquake in Indonesia".

In a telegram to the apostolic nuncio to Indonesia, signed by the secretary of state cardinal Pietro Parolin, the pope expressed his "sincere solidarity with all those who have been affected by this natural disaster".

Francis “prays for the rest of the deceased, the healing of the wounded and the consolation of all those who suffer. In a particular way, it offers encouragement to civil authorities and to those involved in the ongoing search and rescue efforts, ”the letter reads.

The death toll is expected to rise, according to local search and rescue teams, who say many people are still trapped in the rubble of collapsed buildings, CNN reported.

The telegram concluded with the Pope's invocation to the "divine blessings of strength and hope".

Sulawesi, ruled by Indonesia, is one of the four islands of the Great Sunda. The western side was hit by the 6,2 magnitude earthquake at 1:28 local time about 3,7 miles northeast of the city of Majene.

Eight people died and at least 637 were injured in Majene. Three hundred homes were damaged and 15.000 residents displaced, according to Indonesia's National Board for Disaster Management.

The affected area is also a COVID-19 red zone, causing concerns about the spread of the coronavirus during the disaster.