7.5 earthquake and tsunami in Indonesia

Magnitude 7.5 earthquake triggers tsunami in Indonesia

At least five people are dead and buildings have been swept away after a tsunami struck two centres on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi.

A collapsed shopping mall in Palu, Central Sulawesi after a 7.5 magnitude earthquake hit the area. Photo: AFP PHOTO / BNPB

Radio NZ,

29 September, 2018

The tsunami was caused by a 7.5 magnitude earthquake which hit just off central Sulawesi last night.

The earthquake struck the cities of Donggala and Palu which are home to more than 600,000 people.

A tsunami warning was issued following the quake but was lifted within an hour.

A video on social media shows people screaming and running in fear as the wave sweeps through Palu.

Officials say at least five people are dead - but it is not clear yet if those were as a result of the tsunami.

The head of Indonesia's meterology and geophysics agency BMKG Dwikorita Karnawati said the tsunami had receded.

"The situation is chaotic, people are running on the streets and buildings collapsed. There is a ship washed ashore," she said.

Indonesian disaster agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said houses were swept away by the tsunami and families had been reported missing.

He said communications with central Sulawesi were down, and the search and rescue effort was being hampered by darkness.

The area was hit by a lighter quake earlier in the day, which killed one person and injured at least 10 in Donggala, authorities said.

A tsunami in 2004, triggered by an earthquake off the island of Sumatra, killed more than 120,000 Indonesians and 226,000 people across the Indian Ocean.

Indonesia is prone to earthquakes because it lies on the Ring of Fire - the line of frequent quakes and volcanic eruptions that circles virtually the entire Pacific rim.

More than half of the world's active volcanoes above sea level are part of the ring.