Indonesian troops have been ordered to shoot looters as emergency supplies arrive at areas devastated by a deadly earthquake and tsunami.

Desperate survivors raided closed shops for food and water in the aftermath of the disaster, which left more than 1,400 people dead on the island of Sulawesi.

Many others are missing and injured after Friday’s 7.5-magnitude earthquake spawned huge waves which engulfed the west coastal city of Palu.

Many survivors have no access to running water or electricity but, with transport links cut off, much-needed supplies have only begun to trickle into some of the worst hit areas.

Officials initially took a lenient approach to looting but said they were now “re-enforcing the law” as aid arrives.

“If there is looting again, we will quickly fire a warning shot and then shoot to immobilise,” military colonel Ida Dewa Agung Hadisaputra told AFP.

Dozens of people have been arrested for stealing computers and cash, according to police.

“On the first and second day, clearly no shops were open. People were hungry. There were people in dire need. That’s not a problem,” said deputy national police chief Ari Dono Sukmanto.

“But after day two, the food supply started to come in, it only needed to be distributed. We are now re-enforcing the law.”

Electricity has been restored to the stricken city of Palu, home to about 370,000 people, where shops and banks began reopening on Thursday.

However, the fate of many thousands of people in outlying districts remained unknown almost a week on.

While international help for survivors has gathered pace, rescuers are still struggling to reach remote communities cut off by broken roads, landslides and crippled communications.

Some survivors have been forced to scavenge for coconuts, bananas and cassava.

Indonesian earthquake: rescue efforts continue Show all 30 1 /30 Indonesian earthquake: rescue efforts continue Indonesian earthquake: rescue efforts continue Residents and rescuers walk in front of a washed out passenger ferry in Wani following the September 28 earthquake and tsunami. Aid poured into disaster-ravaged Palu after days of delays as efforts ramped up to reach 200,000 people in desperate need AFP/Getty Indonesian earthquake: rescue efforts continue Indonesian rescuers try to free a 15-year-old earthquake survivor, Nurul Istikhomah from the flooded ruins of a collapsed house in Palu EPA Indonesian earthquake: rescue efforts continue A rescue team searches for bodies under the ruin of a house in Balaroa EPA Indonesian earthquake: rescue efforts continue A ship stranded on the shore EPA Indonesian earthquake: rescue efforts continue Indonesians stand among debris at Mamboro village in Palu EPA Indonesian earthquake: rescue efforts continue Residents carry a victim AFP/Getty Indonesian earthquake: rescue efforts continue Residents trying to salvage belongings from their homes which collapsed AFP/Getty Indonesian earthquake: rescue efforts continue Indonesian soldiers bury quake victims in a mass grave in Poboya AFP/Getty Indonesian earthquake: rescue efforts continue A damaged mosque AFP/Getty Indonesian earthquake: rescue efforts continue A man sits on the rubble of a house AFP/Getty Images Indonesian earthquake: rescue efforts continue Rescuers walk past debris AFP/Getty Images Indonesian earthquake: rescue efforts continue Jumadil, 5, reacts at seeing his mother Susi Rahmatia, 26, after he went missing for seven days AFP/Getty Images Indonesian earthquake: rescue efforts continue A woman builds a temporary toilet AFP/Getty Images Indonesian earthquake: rescue efforts continue Rahmat Raidi, 26, shows portraits of his missing family members AFP/Getty Images Indonesian earthquake: rescue efforts continue Residents queue before receiving humanitarian aid in Palu AFP/Getty Images Indonesian earthquake: rescue efforts continue Indonesian villagers offload aid from a military helicopter in Proo village, Lindu district AFP/Getty Images Indonesian earthquake: rescue efforts continue Residents stand among houses destroyed by a landslide that was triggered by the earthquake in Petobo outside Palu EPA Indonesian earthquake: rescue efforts continue People queue for fuel at a petrol station in Palu Reuters Indonesian earthquake: rescue efforts continue Members of the Indonesian Red Cross attend to a victim at a crushed house at Talise beach in Palu EPA Indonesian earthquake: rescue efforts continue Residents walk among houses destroyed by a landslide that was triggered by the earthquake in Petobo, outside Palu EPA Indonesian earthquake: rescue efforts continue An Indonesian Police Officer uses a dog to search for victims amongst rubble in Petobo, outside Palu Reuters Indonesian earthquake: rescue efforts continue An Indonesian rescue team searches for victims and survivors amongst the rubble of the Roa Roa hotel in Palu Reuters Indonesian earthquake: rescue efforts continue A crowd gathers at the airport in Palu in the hope of fleeing by plane Getty Indonesian earthquake: rescue efforts continue Members of an Indonesian rescue team look for survivors in a collapsed home in Palu AFP/Getty Indonesian earthquake: rescue efforts continue Bhayangkara hospital in Palu Reuters Indonesian earthquake: rescue efforts continue Members of an Indonesian rescue team look for survivors in a collapsed home in Palu AFP/Getty Indonesian earthquake: rescue efforts continue An earthquake damaged bridge in Palu Reuters Indonesian earthquake: rescue efforts continue People drive amongst the damage in Palu Reuters Indonesian earthquake: rescue efforts continue Indonesian women stand on a tsunami devastated area of Talise beach Palu EPA Indonesian earthquake: rescue efforts continue Members of an Indonesian rescue team look for survivors in a collapsed home in Palu AFP/Getty

“There are so many challenges with this disaster, it’s never been so bad,” said Frida Sinta, an aid volunteer.

Signs of recovery were evident in Palu on Thursday, as orderly queues formed at petrol stations after the arrival of fuel shipments. A major mobile phone network was back in operation and traffic lights and televisions flickered into life as power returned.

State port operator Pelindo IV said the city’s port, which was damaged by the earthquake and tsunami, has reopened.

But thousands of people are sleeping in tents or makeshift shelters after more than 70,000 homes were destroyed.

An estimated 1.5 million people have been affected by the disaster.

More of those 200,000 are in dire need of assistance, according to the United Nations, which has allocated $15m (£11.5m) to support relief efforts.