Earthquake and tsunami in Sulawesi, Indonesia

A 7.5 Earthquake struck the Indonesian island of Sulawesi followed by a tsunami on 28 Sept 2018.




What are the factors which led to the city of Palu experiencing the greatest damage and loss of lives?
Where are the areas affected?
Why do Indonesia experience frequent earthquakes?
What have been done to mitigate the impacts of earthquake?
Who are the ones affected by the earthquake?
How does the people respond to the earthquake to mitigate the impacts of earthquake?
How was the tsunamis formed? (this tsunamis which hit Palu was unique as it was not an offshore earthquake)


Strong aftershocks have continued to hit Sulawesi, where the major quake and tsunami killed at least 408 people and injured 500.

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asia/indonesia-palu-earthquake-tsunami-dead-rescuers-10770998

Dozens remain missing, some thought to be trapped in the debris of collapsed buildings in the city of Palu.

What are the short term responses carried out to save more lives now?


https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-45693281


https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/sep/30/indonesia-tsunami-cries-for-help-from-rubble-amid-fears-thousands-dead


Update - death toll rose more than 1300 as @ 3 Oct 2018. Read on how short-term responses were carried out.




Mount Soputan erupted on 3 Oct - adding on to the woes of the people who have yet to recover from the impact of the earthquake and tsunami which struck on 28 Sept.


Another useful update on what caused the tsunami which affected Palu.
Unlike most tsunamis, the displacement of water is mainly due to the underwater landslides triggered by the earthquake from "strike-slip" fault (transform fault), where tectonic plates move sideways. The force was intensified as the waves moved landwards through a narrow bay into Palu.

Read more at 

Look at the impacts of the earthquake and tsunamis as well as the short-term responses in the video below



Limitations of short-term responses 
1. local government did not allow foreign aid and there is a delay in rendering help to search and rescue for trapped victims.
2. looting occurred  which hampered the distribution of food, water and medical supply in the affected areas.
Read more at

Look at the video below to see the impact of soil liquefaction in aggravating the extent of damage by the earthquake.




More than 82,000 people were displaced in the worst-hit city of Palu, 1,500km northeast of the capital, Jakarta, and 67,000 homes destroyed or damaged. 

According to Wikipedia, the earthquake resulted in 2,256 dead, 1,075 missing and 70,821 evacuated.

Another shallow 6.0-magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Indonesia's Java and Bali islands on 11 Oct 2018, killing 3 people. The victims were crushed by collapsed buildings in East Java's Sumenep district as the earthquake happened early Thursday when they were sleeping and the quake suddenly rocked so they didn't have time to evacuate.

Read more at https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asia/bali-earthquake-indonesia-java-10813782

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