Palu Earthquake

On June 16, 2026, at 10:27 a.m. local time (03:27 UTC), a magnitude 6.7 earthquake struck approximately 42 km southeast of Palu, the capital of Central Sulawesi province, at a depth of 16 km. The strong shaking was felt across Palu — home to around 400,000 people — and the surrounding regencies of Sigi and Donggala. Hundreds of thousands of residents fled into open areas as buildings shook, and several hospitals evacuated patients outdoors as a precaution. Indonesia's National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) reported that the earthquake killed at least one person in Sigi Regency, injured 38 others across the affected area, and damaged at least 67 houses. The event stirred deep fear among locals, evoking memories of the devastating 2018 Palu earthquake and tsunami that killed more than 4,000 people and caused widespread liquefaction. Although no tsunami was generated by the 2026 quake, coastal communities remained on heightened alert in the hours following the tremor. The BNPB deployed emergency response teams and coordinated with the Indonesian Red Cross (Palang Merah Indonesia) and international humanitarian organizations to provide shelter, medical assistance, and humanitarian supplies to displaced and affected families.