PALU, Indonesia (AP) — An undersea earthquake with a magnitude of 5.8 struck the eastern region of Indonesia on Sunday morning, resulting in injuries to 29 individuals, including two who are in critical condition. The earthquake was recorded at a depth of 15 kilometers (9.3 miles) north of Poso district, located in Central Sulawesi province, as reported by the U.S. Geological Survey.
The tectonic activity created a series of at least 15 aftershocks, which added to concerns about the safety and stability of the affected areas. However, Indonesian authorities have not issued a tsunami warning in the wake of the quake, allaying fears of a larger disaster following the initial tremor.
According to Indonesia's National Disaster Mitigation Agency, the majority of those injured have been transported to the regional government hospital. Many of the injured were congregants attending a Sunday morning service at a local church. Abdul Muhari, a spokesperson for the National Disaster Mitigation Agency, confirmed that amateur videos illustrating structural damage to the church are circulating, prompting the Poso Disaster Mitigation Agency to perform rapid assessments in the field to understand the earthquake's initial impact.
Indonesia, an extensive archipelago home to more than 270 million people, is regularly affected by geological events such as earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and tsunamis. This is largely attributable to the country’s location on the "Ring of Fire," which is an arc of volcanoes and fault lines located within the Pacific Basin. These geological hazards pose a persistent risk to the population and infrastructure.
In recent history, the country has experienced several devastating earthquakes. Notably, in 2022, a magnitude 5.6 earthquake in Cianjur city within West Java resulted in the deaths of at least 602 people, marking it as the deadliest quake in Indonesia since a catastrophic 2018 incident in Sulawesi, where a quake and subsequent tsunami claimed more than 4,300 lives.
The impact of seismic events has been historically severe in Indonesia. For instance, in 2004, a particularly powerful Indian Ocean earthquake ignited a tsunami that led to the death of more than 230,000 individuals across a dozen countries, the majority of fatalities occurring in Indonesia's Aceh province. Such historical precedents underscore the ongoing vulnerability of Indonesia to natural disasters.
The recent earthquake serves as a reminder of the geological volatility Indonesian communities face daily. As authorities work to assess the damage and aid those affected, the resilience of the local population is expected to shine through, as it has in past disasters. The Indonesian government continues to prioritize disaster preparedness and response to mitigate the impacts of future seismic activity.
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Tarigan reported from Jakarta, Indonesia.
