BPBD Central Sulawesi: Several buildings damaged by magnitude 6.7 earthquake

The Central Sulawesi Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) has reported that a number of buildings and infrastructure in several areas suffered damage due to a tectonic earthquake with a magnitude of 6.7 that occurred on Tuesday morning. “Preliminary monitoring results indicate damage to buildings and infrastructure in several affected areas. Rapid response teams are currently conducting data collection in the field,” said Central Sulawesi BPBD Chief Executive Asbudianto in Palu on Tuesday. According to BPBD reports, cracks appeared on the Palu III Bridge in Palu City, and several buildings were reported to have collapsed due to the tremors. In Sigi Regency, several buildings were damaged, a landslide occurred in the Mount Kamarora area, and water channels were reported to have been severed. In Parigi Moutong Regency and Poso Regency, several buildings also sustained damage. Additionally, road access in the Napu area of Poso Regency was reported damaged and is still undergoing further assessment. BPBD Central Sulawesi recorded that as of 13:38 WITA, several aftershocks of varying magnitudes had occurred, consisting of one magnitude 5.0 tremor, ten magnitude 4.0 tremors, 31 magnitude 3.0 tremors, and four magnitude 2.0 tremors. Asbudianto stated that the Rapid Response Teams (TRC) and the Disaster Management Operations Control Centres (Pusdalops) of the affected regencies and cities are continuously coordinating to ascertain conditions on the ground. Meanwhile, data on casualties and displaced persons is still being collected. He urged the public to remain calm and vigilant regarding the possibility of aftershocks and to follow official information from the government and the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG). Earlier, BMKG reported that the tectonic earthquake with a magnitude of 6.7 shook the Palu region, Central Sulawesi, on Tuesday at 10:27 WIB. BMKG confirmed that the epicentre of the earthquake was located on land at coordinates 1.13 South Latitude and 120.23 East Longitude, precisely 42 kilometres southeast of Palu City. The earthquake was categorised as shallow, with a focal depth of 10 kilometres, but mathematical modelling indicated that this seismic activity did not have the potential to trigger a tsunami.