A tsunami has hit Indonesia. According to the government, several cities were hit, including Palu and Donggala.
Images on social media show how a gigantic wave engulfs the country and wreaks havoc. There is still no clarity about possible victims and damage.
According to a spokesperson for a special crisis centre that was set up, houses would have been wiped away, and entire families were missing. Communication is impossible because the infrastructure has been destroyed. The incident darkness – it is 5 hours later in Jakarta than in Belgium – makes relief operations difficult.
The situation is currently chaotic, says Dwikorita Karnawati, director of the Indonesian meteorological institute BMKG. “People are running around on the streets and buildings have collapsed,” she explained.
Earlier today, a massive earthquake struck the Indonesian island of Celebes (Sulawesi). That happened around 12.44 Belgian time. The quake had a force of 7.5 according to the American Geophysical Institute USGS and took place at a depth of 10 kilometres, about 80 kilometres off the coast. Because of the tsunami alarm that followed, many residents fled to higher places. (read more below)
A few hours earlier, a first quake in the same region had killed at least one person. For the time being, there are no reports of possible victims of the second earthquake.
Indonesia is positioned on the so-called Pacific Ring of Fire, which is known for its regular earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. There are about 130 active volcanoes in the country.