Palu 6.7-magnitude quake carries no tsunami threat: BNPB

Jakarta (ANTARA) - The National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) confirmed that no tsunami occurred after the 6.7-magnitude earthquake rattled Palu, Central Sulawesi, on Tuesday, June 16.

The Head of the BNPB Disaster Data, Information, and Communication Center, Abdul Muhari, urged the public on Wednesday not to trust misleading reports about an alleged tsunami threat following the earthquake.

"The main earthquake, magnitude 6.7, occurred yesterday, June 16, at 10:27 a.m. Western Indonesian Time (WIB) at a shallow depth on land. Since it is located far inland and not on the coast, this seismic activity does not have the potential to trigger a tsunami," he explained.

BNPB said the clarification was necessary following the circulation of videos on social media showing receding sea levels in Palu Bay and other locations, which had triggered panic among local residents.

According to Muhari, the receding sea levels are a normal astronomical tidal phenomenon that occurs periodically and are not relevant or causally related to the earthquake on land.

Previously, the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) reported that the epicenter of the tectonic earthquake was located at coordinates 1.13 South Latitude and 120.23 East Longitude, or precisely 42 kilometers southeast of Palu City. Tremors were also felt in several areas of Poso District and Parigi Moutong.

Based on updated secondary data as of Wednesday afternoon, the BMKG recorded that seismographs in the field had detected 118 aftershocks, with a decreasing magnitude trend.

Residents along the coastline of Palu Bay and other affected areas are advised to stay calm, continue their usual activities, and rely only on verified disaster updates from official channels of BMKG and BNPB.

At least 109 people from 45 households were affected by the earthquake on Tuesday, with 32 people injured, including 24 with minor injuries and eight with serious injuries, Muhari informed.

Preliminary assessments showed damage to at least 64 houses, including four homes that suffered minor damage in Poso District.

Other damage included four places of worship, four public facilities, two bridges, two office buildings, one business premises and a collapsed section of the provincial road linking Palu, Sigi and Poso.

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Translator: M. Riezko Bima, Resinta Sulistiyandari

Editor: Arie Novarina

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