Central Sulawesi Earthquake: 782 Aftershocks Recorded, Emergency Response Status Declared
The Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) has recorded extremely high seismic activity in Central Sulawesi following the magnitude 6.7 earthquake that struck on Tuesday (16/6). By the third day, Thursday (18/6/2026), a total of 782 aftershocks had shaken the region. Head of the BMKG Class I Geophysics Station in Palu, Djati Cipto Kuncoro, revealed that the largest of these aftershocks reached magnitude 5.3. The tremors are part of a sequence originating from the main quake, which was centred 42 kilometres southeast of Palu City at a depth of 10 kilometres.
Responding to the scale of the disaster’s impact, Central Sulawesi Governor Anwar Hafid issued Decree number: 300.2.1/199/BPBD-C.ST/2026 establishing an emergency response status for the earthquake disaster. This status is effective for 17 days, from 7 to 23 June 2026. The areas covered by the emergency response status include Sigi Regency, which the Head of the BNPB Disaster Data, Information, and Communication Centre, Abdul Muhari, confirmed as the epicentre of the worst damage. As of Thursday at 13.51 WIB, the three identified fatalities all originated from the administrative area of Sigi Regency.
Sigi Deputy Regent Samuel Pongi, who also serves as Chair of the Sigi Disaster Emergency Response Task Force, stated that the local government has moved swiftly since the first day. “We have established a main command post, health posts, and public kitchens to serve the community’s needs and evacuate residents to safe locations,” he explained. The physical impact of the disaster has also damaged at least 1,652 residential units, with details showing 1,472 units suffered light damage.
A tectonic earthquake shook the Sigi area of Central Sulawesi on Wednesday (17/6). BMKG reported the quake occurred at 17:52:30 WIB. An earlier tremor struck around 12:35 Wita with a magnitude of 4.6, caused by activity on the Palu Koro fault. BMKG continues to urge the public to remain calm and not be influenced by unverified information. Residents are asked to monitor developments through official BMKG channels and the local government to ensure safety during the emergency response period.