Central Sulawesi Police Deploy 190 Personnel to Assist Post-Earthquake Response
Palu (ANTARA) - The Central Sulawesi Regional Police (Polda Sulteng), together with the Sigi Resort Police, have deployed 190 joint personnel to assist in handling the impact of a magnitude 6.7 earthquake that shook Sigi Regency and Parigi Moutong Regency on Tuesday (16/6).
Head of Public Relations of Polda Sulteng, Senior Commissioner Djoko Wienartono, stated in Palu on Friday that the personnel have been stationed at several severely affected points, particularly in Palolo District, Sigi Regency, to provide humanitarian assistance, security, and ensure the emergency response process runs smoothly.
He explained that the joint personnel have been deployed across affected areas from 16 to 20 June 2026 to carry out various humanitarian and disaster management activities. The presence of police personnel is focused on assisting with resident evacuations, distributing humanitarian aid, securing affected locations, providing health services, and supporting the acceleration of community recovery following the earthquake.
According to him, synergy between the Indonesian National Police, the Indonesian National Armed Forces, local government, volunteers, and all elements of society is a crucial factor in speeding up the handling of the disaster’s impact and restoring the lives of affected residents. Additionally, personnel are conducting patrols and situation monitoring to anticipate security disturbances and ensure aid distribution runs smoothly and reaches the right targets.
The Head of Public Relations emphasised that his party will continue to provide maximum support during the emergency response period until community conditions return to normal. “We will continue to be present to assist the affected communities. All personnel on duty in the field are instructed to prioritise humanitarian service, provide a sense of security, and help meet residents’ needs during the recovery process,” he said.
He added that all disaster management efforts are expected to proceed smoothly, quickly, and effectively, and he urged all elements of society to maintain solidarity and mutual cooperation in helping affected residents.
Previously, the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) reported a tectonic earthquake with a magnitude of 6.7 shook the Palu area, Central Sulawesi, on Tuesday (16/6) at 10.27 Western Indonesian Time. The Sigi Regency Government has declared a disaster emergency response status lasting 14 days, from 17 to 30 June 2026.
Based on data from the Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) as of 18 June, the number of affected people in Sigi reached 2,109 families or 6,412 individuals, while 84 public facilities such as schools, places of worship, government offices, community health centres, and clean water networks suffered damage. Additionally, the number of damaged houses increased to 1,652 units, consisting of 1,472 lightly damaged, 111 moderately damaged, and 69 heavily damaged, spread across 38 villages.