Magnitude 6.7 Earthquake Injures Eight in Central Indonesia’s Sulawesi
A magnitude 6.7 Indonesia earthquake struck central Indonesia on Tuesday, centered 47 kilometers southeast of Palu in Central Sulawesi, at a shallow depth of 10 kilometers, causing eight injuries and material damage but no tsunami alert.
Earthquake Details and Location
The Indonesia earthquake registered at 11:27 local time (3:27 GMT) according to the US Geological Survey. [1] The USGS located the tremor 47 kilometers southeast of Palu, a city inhabited by about 390,000 people, with the hypocenter at a depth of 10 kilometers. [1] [2] The same agency recorded the event in a mountainous inland region of Sulawesi. [1] Indonesia’s Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency noted that the tremor was felt quite strongly in Palu and Sigi. [4] One resident in Palu described the shaking as a sudden jolt that made the whole house seem to shake, with the roof making noise as if it were about to collapse. [4]
Casualties and Injuries
Two people suffered serious injuries with bone fractures and head trauma in the Kamarora area, while six others had minor injuries. [1] The Agency Nacional de Búsqueda y Rescate, known as BASARNAS, reported these preliminary figures for the eight total injuries. [1]
A magnitude 6.7 earthquake struck the mountainous region of Central Sulawesi near Palu, Indonesia. — Source: gdelt
Damage and Local Impact
Roofs, walls and windows of some buildings collapsed due to the shaking. [1] Hospitals evacuated patients outdoors as a precaution against aftershocks. [1] The initial tremor lasted between 4 and 6 seconds. [1]
Absence of Tsunami Threat
The epicenter was recorded in a mountainous inland region of the island, which prevented activation of any tsunami alert. [1] [2] Indonesia’s Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency confirmed that the event did not pose a tsunami threat. [4]
A magnitude 6.7 earthquake struck Central Sulawesi near Palu, injuring eight people. — Source: gdelt
Aftershocks and Ongoing Activity
More than a dozen aftershocks followed the main shock, with the largest reaching magnitude 5.2. [1] The US Geological Survey also recorded a magnitude 4.8 event 52 kilometers southeast of Palu at a depth of 10.0 kilometers. [5] A resident of Palu recounted hurrying to evacuate with children after feeling the jolt and the house shaking. [4]
Regional Seismic Context
Indonesia lies on the Pacific Ring of Fire, a zone of intense seismic and volcanic activity where about 7,000 earthquakes are recorded each year, most of them moderate. [1] [2] A magnitude-7.5 quake and tsunami near Palu in 2018 killed over 4,300 people. [1] Another magnitude-7.4 event in early April caused one death in North Sulawesi province and triggered a tsunami alert for the region separating the Moluccas and Sulawesi islands as well as southern Philippines. [2] A magnitude-6.2 quake near Mamuju in January 2021 caused at least 100 deaths on Sulawesi. [3]
What to watch next: authorities continue to monitor aftershocks up to magnitude 5.2 and any further seismic activity on Sulawesi given its location on the Ring of Fire.
