Minister: No Reports of Significant Campus Damage from Palu Earthquake

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Minister of Higher Education, Science, and Technology Brian Yuliarto stated that as of Wednesday, his ministry had not received any reports of significant damage to university buildings caused by the earthquake that struck Palu on Tuesday (16/6).

“Based on the preliminary reports we have received, there are generally no reports of significant structural damage to campus buildings caused by the earthquake,” he said when confirmed in Jakarta on Wednesday.

He noted that most higher education institutions reported that their infrastructure was safe, with some minor cracks on building walls. Several universities did report some impacts, including damage to laboratory equipment and computers that fell during the tremors, collapsed classroom ceilings in some areas, and cracks in walls, floors, and parts of building structures.

“However, to date, there have been no reports of severe damage that disrupts overall campus operations,” he added.

Based on secondary data updated as of Wednesday afternoon, the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) recorded that seismographs in the field had detected 118 aftershocks, with a decreasing magnitude trend.

Several buildings on the Tadulako University (Untad) campus in Palu were reported to have sustained damage from the earthquake. According to initial data gathered by the university, damage occurred in several buildings that had previously been rehabilitated and reconstructed following the 2018 earthquake, tsunami, and liquefaction disaster.

The damage included wall cracks, detachment of building cladding materials, ceiling damage, damage to learning facilities, and shattered glass due to the strong tremors. The Untad Auditorium building suffered partial ceiling collapse and disruption to the videotron facilities. Further damage was also found at the Untad Hospital, consisting of cracks in several non-structural parts of the building. Similarly, at the Faculty of Engineering, part of the ceiling collapsed, while the Student Centre experienced cracks in several sections that are still undergoing further inspection.