6.7 Magnitude Earthquake Strikes Indonesia’s Sulawesi, Triggers Evacuations

Jakarta: A 6.7-magnitude earthquake has struck the Indonesian island of Sulawesi, causing building damage and forcing residents of Palu — the capital of Central Sulawesi province — and surrounding areas to flee to open spaces. Patients were evacuated from several hospitals as a precautionary measure, and tourists, including foreign nationals, were moved from hotels to safer locations.

Roofs and walls of numerous buildings collapsed, with images of debris-strewn streets circulating on social media. The National Disaster Management Agency said it was in the process of assessing the full extent of damage.

The United States Geological Survey reported that the epicentre was located approximately 43 kilometres south-east of Palu, at a depth of around 10 kilometres. Several aftershocks followed the initial tremor, the strongest of which measured 5.2 in magnitude. Indonesia's Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysical Agency ruled out the possibility of a tsunami but warned that aftershocks would continue.

Sulawesi has a devastating seismic history. In 2018, a 7.5-magnitude earthquake triggered a tsunami and liquefaction that killed more than 4,000 people and buried large parts of the region. In January 2021, a 6.2-magnitude quake near the city of Mamuju on the same island killed 100 people.