So far rescuers have recovered "1,558 bodies of victims who were mostly buried alive," Ramadan said as quoted by Bernama news agency.
READ MORE: Strong 7.4 Quake Shakes Indonesia's Sulawesi Island — Seismological Center
A total of 65,733 homes were destroyed as a result of the disaster, the publication said.
On September 28, a powerful 7.4-magnitude earthquake hit Sulawesi, triggering a tsunami wave which struck the city of Palu and the Donggala area in Central Sulawesi.
The international community, including Russia, has actively responded with offers of relief aid to Indonesia.