The toll in Indonesia earthquake went up to 384 on Saturday, an AFP alert quoted the country’s disaster agency as saying. Thousands were displaced after a series of powerful earthquakes, which triggered a tsunami too, struck Central Sulawesi in Indonesia on Friday.
A footage captured in a mobile phone showing a tsunami hitting Palu, a coastal town, is circulating online. The footage shows a number of structures near the Palu Grand Mall in Palu being swept away by the wave.
The video also shows up to 2 metre high waves hitting the Baiturrahman Mosque located next to the mall. The mosque stands heavily damaged now.
While the authenticity of the video could not be verified, Google Maps search of Palu Grand Mall and Baiturrahman Mosque resulted in matching images.
I just opened my watsap grup and This Tsunami seen on Palu, Sulawesi. They recorded this in the top floor of the mall. Our friend’s family confirmed this.. #PrayForDonggala Celebes Sulawesi Indonesia 🙏 pic.twitter.com/vlTmDjCp3h
— WID (@wjjeje) September 28, 2018
The Jakarta Post reported that officials of the Central Sulawesi Museum in Palu had confirmed the event. Quoting Iksam, an official of the museum, a report said, “Yes, there was a smashing of seawater.”
The Jakarta Post could not ask further questions to Iksam as the phone connection broke after that.
An earthquake measuring 7.7 on the Richter magnitude scale rocked Central Sulawesi .
A strong tsunami triggered by a earthquake measuring 7.7 on Richter scale hit the coastal Indonesian city of Palu on Friday, shortly after a 6.0-magnitude quake killed one and injured at least 10 people in Donggala, Central Sulawesi, in the afternoon.
The earthquake was larger in magnitude than the 2006 Yogyakarta earthquake of 6.4 magnitude, and the recent 7.0-magnitude Lombok earthquake in August.
READ | At least 30 killed as earthquake, tsunami hit Indonesia’s Sulawesi island
On Saturday morning, The Jakarta Post reported, Hercules aircraft and maritime vessels were deployed to areas affected by the earthquakes in Palu.
According to reports, the earthquake damaged seven electrical substations, causing blackouts.
Quoting Home Minister Tjahjo Kumolo, the report said his office had sent a radiogram ordering local authorities in cities and regencies near Palu, including Mamuju and Makassar.
The Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) said it had recorded 55 aftershocks since the main shock as of Friday, ranging in magnitude from 2.9 to 6.3.
“We hope residents remain vigilant and stay away from damaged buildings, while we continue to keep providing updates on the situation,” a BMKG official told The Jakarta Post.