Indonesia earthquake, 7.5 - terrifying footage shows huge wave crash into island - UPDATE

Laura Forsyth
The Daily Mirrror
Fri, 28 Sep 2018 13:20 UTC

Tsunami hits Sulawesi Island, Indonesia

Terrifying video footage showing a huge wave crashing into an Indonesia island has sparked fears a tsunami has struck following a large earthquake.

In a video, believed to have been recorded in Palu, Sulawesi, screams are heard as a huge wave crashes onto land.

This comes as a major earthquake rocked central Sulawesi in Indonesia just hours after a smaller tremor killed one and injured another 10.

The US Geological Survey said the magnitude 7.5 quake was centred at a depth of six miles around 35 miles northeast of the town of Donggala, Sulawesi.

In the footage, waves tumble at a great speed towards the land, and the camera turns to show crowds of people shouting and running frantically. (See video here)

Villagers look on in horror at the terrifying scene People are heard screaming as they flee the area Incredible footage shows the sea flooding into the town

The person recording the shocking scene then turns back to the water where giant waves are seen billowing closer to the terrified people.

Water loudly streams towards them before everything goes dark, with the sounds of panicked people heard in the background.

Suddenly the camera refocuses showing water streaming below through the streets, bringing chunks of debris with it.

There are fears for those caught up in what appears to have been a major tsunami Giant waves are seen billowing towards the terrified people The huge waves crash onto the village.

The major earthquake rocked central Sulawesi in Indonesia just hours after a smaller tremor killed one and injured another 10.

According to authorities an earlier quake destroyed some houses

The US Geological Survey said the magnitude 7.5 quake was centred at a depth of six miles around 35 miles northeast of the town of Donggala, Sulawesi.

An early tsunami warning was issued for people in Central Sulawesi and West Sulawesi provinces, but this has since been lifted.

The same area was hit by a magnitude 6.1 earthquake earlier today that killed one person, injured 10 and damaged dozens of houses.

A person has died, 10 people injured and dozens of houses damaged by the earthquake

According to authorities an earlier quake destroyed some houses Aftershocks continue to occur in the area The 7.5 magnitude quake struck off the Indonesian island of Sulawesi

A series of earthquakes in July and August killed nearly 500 people on the holiday island of Lombok, hundreds of kilometres southwest of Sulawesi.

While an earlier tsunami warning has been lifted, officials have asked people in the affected area to remain on the alert.

It comes as a number of moderate aftershocks hit the area.

"We advise people to remain in safe area, stay away from damaged buildings," Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, spokesman for the National Disaster Mitigation Agency, said in a televised interview.

He added that the national agency in Jakarta was having difficulties reaching some authorities in the area.

The U.S. Geological Survey put the magnitude of the second quake at a strong 7.5, after first saying it was 7.7.

According to the National Disaster Mitigation Agency spokesman, the second quake was felt "very strongly".

"We expect more damage and more victims," Nugroho added.

Footage posted on social media depicts collapsed buildings, with enormous mounds of rubble lying on the ground.

Other clips show locals screaming and running down roads.

In 2004, a big earthquake off the northern Indonesian island of Sumatra triggered a tsunami across the Indian Ocean, killing 226,000 people in 13 countries, including more than 120,000 in Indonesia.

Last month we reported that the Indonesian island of Bali was hit by a major tremor for the third time in less than a month.

Panicked holidaymakers and locals rushed into the streets amid fears buildings would collapse,

The earthquake, which sparked a tsunami warning that was later stood down, struck Bali's neighbouring island of Lombok at the same location that was hit by a 6.4-magnitude quake that killed 14 people previously.

Comment:

Update: RT reports:

Hundreds have been killed on Indonesia's Sulawesi island, which was struck by a 7.7-magnitude quake - triggering a tsunami that swept through two coastal towns. Scores of houses have been flattened, burying victims under rubble.

The disaster claimed the lives of some 384 people and left around 500 injured after the tsunami hit the coastline with 3-meter (10 foot) high waves, the spokesman of Indonesia's National Disaster Mitigation Agency said on Saturday.

He added that the number of victims may further rise. The announced death toll only includes the data from Palu, but the casualties in nearby Donggala Regency are currently unknown.

Harrowing images have come from Indonesia, showing the scale of destruction that the Sulawesi quake inflicted on the towns of Palu and Donggala, located close to the epicenter of the quake that wrought havoc on the island on Friday afternoon.

The quake severely damaged roads, rendering some of them impassable.

A large bridge over a coastal river in Palu collapsed and was reduced to debris.

Spokesman for National Disaster Mitigation Agency, Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, posted before and after pictures of the city's landmark.

"The condition before and after the earthquake in Donggala SR 7.7 that impact the destruction of the bridge in the city of Ponulele hammer. Earthquake source derived from Sesar Hammer Koro active moves and crosses the city of Palu."

Rescue efforts have been hampered by a power blackout that hit the affected towns, making it impossible for the authorities to estimate the real number of victims.

Dr. H. Wiranto, Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs, said on Friday evening that the authorities were still having difficulties with receiving feedback from the regions severely affected by the disaster. He said that the government might have to resort to the satellite communication provided by the National Disaster Mitigation Agency if power is not restored by Sunday morning.

The Palu airport has also been damaged, losing 500 meters of its 2,500-meter long runway. However, the authorities said the remaining length will be enough for Hercules cargo aircraft to land and bring essential supplies to the hard-hit.