6.7-magnitude earthquake rocks Indonesia’s Central Sulawesi and damages Palu

16 June 2026 , 12:37

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6.7-magnitude earthquake rocks Indonesia’s Central Sulawesi and damages Palu

A 6.7-magnitude earthquake struck Indonesia’s Central Sulawesi province on Tuesday, causing intense shaking for over a minute.

The earthquake, which was followed by strong aftershocks, caused what authorities described as "scattered damage" in Palu, the capital of Central Sulawesi and home to 400,000 people.

Hospitals rushed out their patients, some with IV drips, as a safety measure.

The US Geological Survey located the initial earthquake’s epicentre 46km east-southeast of Palu, at a shallow depth of 10km.

Subsequent tremors measured 5.2, 5.0, and 4.9 in magnitude.

Indonesia is situated along several seismic faults and, as a result, frequently experiences earthquakes and volcanic activity.

A 6.2-magnitude earthquake in January 2021 near Mamuju on the island of Sulawesi killed more than 100 people and forced thousands to sleep outdoors due to aftershock fears.

Sophia Martinez

World Affairs Correspondent