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Tsunami hits Indonesia's Palu after strong earthquake Indonesia earthquake: Dozens dead in Palu
(about 14 hours later)
A strong tsunami triggered by a magnitude 7.5 earthquake has hit a coastal Indonesian city, officials say. Almost 50 people have been confirmed dead after a strong tsunami triggered by a magnitude 7.5 earthquake hit a coastal Indonesian city on Friday.
Waves of up to 2m (6.6ft) high swept through Palu on Sulawesi island, not long after authorities had lifted a tsunami warning. Waves of up to 2m (6.6ft) high swept through Palu on Sulawesi island.
Video on social media shows people screaming and fleeing in panic and a mosque amongst the buildings damaged.Video on social media shows people screaming and fleeing in panic and a mosque amongst the buildings damaged.
Officials have reported five deaths - but it is not clear if those were as a result of the tsunami. Last month, a series of deadly earthquakes struck the Indonesian island of Lombok, with the biggest, on 5 August, killing more than 460.
Last month, a series of earthquakes struck the Indonesian island of Lombok, killing hundreds of people - the biggest on 5 August killed more than 460. Indonesia's disaster agency said at least 48 people have been killed from the latest quake but that the figure could rise.
"We have not received comprehensive reports yet because communications are cut. 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.
It is not clear whether the deaths came in the quake or the resulting tsunami.
Palu is home to more than 300,000 people. Rescue operations have started but a minister said that communications had been disrupted and that the runway in the city was damaged, although it was hoped that helicopters would still be able to land.
The earthquake hit just off central Sulawesi at a depth of 10km (6.2 miles) just before 18:00 (11:00 GMT), the US Geological Survey said.The earthquake hit just off central Sulawesi at a depth of 10km (6.2 miles) just before 18:00 (11:00 GMT), the US Geological Survey said.
A tsunami warning was issued, but lifted within the hour.A tsunami warning was issued, but lifted within the hour.
The dramatic video footage of the tsunami hitting Palu shows the high waves sweeping away several buildings and then the large tilted mosque in the town, about 80km from the quake's epicentre. Dramatic video of the tsunami hitting Palu shows the high waves sweeping away several buildings and then the large tilted mosque in the town, about 80km from the quake's epicentre.
Dwikorita Karnawati, head of Indonesia's meteorology and geophysics agency, BMKG, said the tsunami had receded. "The situation is chaotic, people are running on the streets and buildings collapsed. There is a ship washed ashore," said Dwikorita Karnawati, head of Indonesia's meteorology and geophysics agency.
"The situation is chaotic, people are running on the streets and buildings collapsed. There is a ship washed ashore," she added. A 2004 tsunami triggered by an earthquake off the Indonesian island of Sumatra killed 226,000 across the Indian Ocean, including more than 120,000 in Indonesia.
The 2004 tsunami triggered by an earthquake off the Indonesian island of Sumatra killed 226,000 across the Indian Ocean, including more than 120,000 in Indonesia.
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.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.More than half of the world's active volcanoes above sea level are part of the ring.