A strong 6.7-magnitude earthquake struck Indonesia’s Sulawesi Island on Tuesday, sending residents rushing from homes, offices, and hospitals as powerful shaking rattled the region and triggered a series of aftershocks.
The earthquake was centred approximately 43 kilometres southeast of Palu, the capital of Central Sulawesi Province, and occurred at a relatively shallow depth of about 10 kilometres. The tremor was felt across a wide area, with residents reporting intense shaking that lasted for more than a minute.
Authorities said several strong aftershocks followed the initial quake, including one measuring 5.2 magnitude. Although the earthquake caused widespread alarm, officials confirmed there was no threat of a tsunami.
Hospitals in the affected area quickly implemented emergency procedures, evacuating patients, medical staff, and visitors as a precautionary measure. Images from the region showed patients being moved outdoors, some still connected to intravenous drips, while healthcare workers ensured their safety amid concerns about additional tremors.
Preliminary reports indicated scattered structural damage in parts of Central Sulawesi, although authorities were still assessing the full extent of the impact. As of Tuesday, no immediate reports of deaths or serious injuries had been released.
The earthquake brought back painful memories for many residents of Sulawesi, particularly those living in Palu. In September 2018, a devastating magnitude 7.5 earthquake struck the region, triggering a powerful tsunami and massive soil liquefaction that swallowed entire neighbourhoods. More than 4,000 people lost their lives in one of Indonesia’s deadliest natural disasters in recent history.
Many residents remain deeply traumatized by that catastrophe and reacted swiftly to Tuesday’s earthquake, fearing a repeat of the devastation that occurred eight years ago.
Indonesia is one of the world’s most earthquake-prone countries because it sits along the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” a vast zone where several major tectonic plates meet. The country regularly experiences earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and other geological events resulting from intense underground activity.
The latest earthquake also revived memories of another major disaster that struck Sulawesi in January 2021, when a magnitude 6.2 earthquake near the city of Mamuju claimed at least 100 lives and displaced thousands of residents.
Emergency officials continue to monitor the situation closely while engineers assess buildings and infrastructure for possible damage. Residents have been advised to remain alert for further aftershocks and to follow instructions from local authorities.
While Tuesday’s earthquake appears to have avoided the widespread devastation seen in previous disasters, it serves as another reminder of the constant seismic risks faced by millions of people living across the Indonesian archipelago.