PALU - A 5.0 magnitude earthquake struck Palu, Central Sulawesi, on Wednesday, September 3rd, at around 6:53 a.m. Western Indonesian Time (WIB). The strong tremors sent residents fleeing their homes for safety.
According to information from the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG), the epicenter was located at 0.88 south latitude and 120.28 east longitude, approximately 44 kilometers northeast of Palu City, at a depth of 10 kilometers. The earthquake was felt at an intensity of IV on the Richter Scale (MMI) in Parigi and III-IV in Palu.
However, as of this writing, there have been no official reports of building damage or casualties due to the earthquake. BMKG stated that the earthquake did not have the potential to trigger a tsunami.
"We are still monitoring the situation in the field. Residents are advised to remain calm but be alert for possible aftershocks," said Budi Santoso, Head of the BMKG Palu Geophysical Station.
This earthquake in Palu is reminiscent of a similar disaster that occurred in 2018. However, the impact of a moderate-magnitude earthquake like this depends on the depth of the epicenter and the surrounding soil conditions.
The BMKG will continue to update information regarding the earthquake's developments. The public is asked to ignore any unverified information and only follow official information from authorities.
The English, Chinese, Japanese, Arabic, and French versions are automatically generated by the AI. So there may still be inaccuracies in translating, please always see Indonesian as our main language. (system supported by DigitalSiber.id)
