A powerful earthquake rattled Indonesia on June 16, 2026, striking near Palu in Central Sulawesi — a city whose residents still carry vivid memories of the catastrophic 2018 earthquake, tsunami, and liquefaction that killed more than 4,000 people.
What Happened
At 10:27 a.m. local time, a magnitude 6.7 earthquake occurred approximately 42 km southeast of Palu at a depth of 16 km. Strong shaking was felt across the city of Palu (population ~400,000) and the surrounding regencies of Sigi and Donggala. Hundreds of thousands of residents fled into open areas and parks as buildings swayed, and several hospitals evacuated patients outdoors as a precautionary measure.
Indonesia's National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) reported that the quake killed at least one person in Sigi Regency and injured 38 others, while damaging at least 67 houses. No tsunami was generated, but coastal communities remained on heightened alert in the hours following the tremor.
Response
The BNPB activated emergency response teams and coordinated relief operations with the Indonesian Red Cross (Palang Merah Indonesia). International humanitarian organizations are mobilizing to support local response capacity.
- Red Cross — providing emergency shelter, medical assistance, and humanitarian supplies in Central Sulawesi
- Direct Relief — supporting medical response for earthquake-affected communities in Indonesia
- AmeriCares — deploying resources for health-focused emergency response
Support Recovery
The people of Palu have faced this threat before and are rebuilding again. Visit the Palu Earthquake disaster page to learn how you can donate and support recovery through our organization directory.
