World

Indonesia earthquake: Hundreds dead in Palu quake and tsunami

September 29, 2018 5:25 pm

More than 380 people have been confirmed dead after a tsunami triggered by a magnitude 7.5 earthquake hit an Indonesian city on Friday.

Waves up to 3m (10ft) high swept through Palu on Sulawesi island.

Video on social media shows people screaming and fleeing in panic and a mosque among the buildings damaged.

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Strong aftershocks rocked the city on Saturday. Thousands of homes have collapsed, along with hospitals, hotels and a shopping centre.

Rescue efforts are under way, though hampered by a major power cut.

The main road to Palu has been blocked due to a landslide, and a key bridge is out of action.

Indonesia’s disaster agency said at least 384 people had been killed, but the number is expected to rise. At least 540 have been injured, and 29 are listed as missing.

“Many bodies were found along the shoreline because of the tsunami, but the numbers are still unknown,” Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, a spokesman for the agency, told Reuters.

“When the threat arose yesterday, people were still doing their activities on the beach and did not immediately run and they became victims,” he told a news briefing.

“The tsunami didn’t come by itself – it dragged cars, logs, houses – it hit everything on land.”