Strong Earthquake Strikes Indonesia’s Sulawesi: 29 Injured, No Tsunami Alert
A powerful earthquake with a magnitude of 6.0 struck Indonesia’s central Sulawesi province in the early hours of Sunday, leaving at least 29 people injured, including two in critical condition. The quake rattled Poso District at around 5:38 a.m. local time and sent residents fleeing outdoors as buildings shook for approximately 15 seconds.
The country’s National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) confirmed that 13 of the injured were referred to Poso Regional Hospital. Thankfully, initial reports indicate there have been no fatalities.
According to Indonesia’s Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG), the earthquake’s epicenter was located on land, about 18 kilometers northwest of Poso, at a depth of just 10 kilometers. The main quake was followed by at least 10 aftershocks, the strongest registering magnitude 3.2, though none caused serious additional damage.
Residents described feeling intense shaking, prompting families to take refuge in open areas due to fears of possible aftershocks. Local authorities have assessed several damaged buildings, while evacuation and safety efforts remain ongoing. Despite the force of the quake, BMKG confirmed there is no tsunami threat associated with this event.
Indonesia sits on the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” a region known for frequent seismic activity due to tectonic plate movement.
Source: Reuters, Anadolu Agency, QNA, Indonesia’s BNPB
