The 7.4 magnitude earthquake that strikes Donggala, Central Sulawesi, caused a tsunami in Palu, recently on Friday, September 28th.
The water from the sea wiped out several buildings such as houses, shopping mall, places of worship, and even bridges by a tsunami with a height of 1.5 meters which appeared on Talise Beach.
Recorded until last night, there are 420 victims. But it considered that the number of victims will increase when there is a recent report.
One of the evacuees from North Lolu Village, said, she had seen many bodies on the beach and some were floating in the sea…
Indonesia is passed by the ring of fire, a major area in the basin of the Pacific Ocean where many earthquakes and volcanic eruptions occur. The Advisory Board of the Indonesian Geological Association (IAGI), Rovicky Dwi Putrohari, saw that the earthquake-stricken area was traversed by an active fault extending from the east.
This fault is called the Matano Fault (Matano Fault) to the west of the Palu-Koro Fault. There are at least three earthquakes recorded since 2017.
In Palu Bay, a tsunami was caused by a seabed sediment avalanche at a 200-300 meters depth. Sediments from the rivers that flow into Palu Bay have not been consolidated strongly so that they collapse and landslide during the earthquake, and trigger a tsunami.
Meanwhile, the government allowed citizens who were the victims of the earthquake to pick up items in the minimarket. These items will be paid by the government. This decision was taken because people had difficulty of getting food.
The government has provided the contacts who are responsible to the minimarket management.
The President of Indonesia, Jokowi also asked the Ministry of Transportation to send a helicopter unit to Palu Airport to carry navigation equipment, to help planes carrying logistical assistance to earthquake and tsunami victims.
The Ministry of Social Affairs is ready to distribute 100 tons of rice, 1,000 boxes of fast food, 2,000 beds, 25 multipurpose tents, 3,000 rolls of tents, 2 packages of public kitchen equipment, 1,000 mattresses, and many other assistances to help the victims.
The earthquake has made an impact on tourism.
Starting from attractions, amenities, and accessibility, everything is disturbed. In fact, the Palu Nomoni Festival which will be held in Palu City in September 2018 is canceled.
The airport is closed for a moment. The effects of this disaster are surely spreading to everywhere and everyone, especially the one who’s travelling to Indonesia.
The first thing to do is you should not be panic when the disaster occurs. The National Disaster Management Agency of Indonesia, through its official Twitter account, @BNPB_Indonesia, shared several tips to deal with the earthquake properly so that you and your family would remain safe in the event of a disaster.
First is get to know a safe place around you.
We recommend you to find a location that is considered safe because it will become a shelter during a disaster. The most important is knowing where are the public health care that has a 24-hour emergency facility.
If you are in a house, make sure to avoid places that have glass walls, poles or pillars, and cabinets because of the high risk of collapse. When in an open area, select a place with a flat surface such as a field.
Second, is always provide emergency bags containing drugs, food, flashlights, and many others long before the disaster.
The emergency bag will be a savior when an earthquake occurs, especially if assistance does not immediately come down. It has become an instinct of humans to panic when a disaster occurs.
Instead of gathering at a gathering point, most people generally choose to split up so that it is difficult to evacuate. Therefore, it is recommended to determine a meeting point that has been agreed upon. If an earthquake occurs, immediately go to the location together with your family members.
Third, collect phone numbers that you consider important, especially those of your relatives in a list. Set the numbers to enter the speed dial button on your cellphone. And always stay up to update on current information of Earthquakes.
Nowadays people sometimes make hoax information easily and spread it to the public. To not getting trapped in the wrong information, it’s good to find information from trusted sources.
We are hoping the best for our brothers and sisters in Sulawesi, deepest condolences for the victims, and support for the government. Hoping that all the aids will come on time and the city will recover real soon.
