Jakarta: More than 380 people have been killed in a devastating earthquake and tsunami in Palu city on Sulawesi Island in Indonesia on Friday.
The death toll could climb in the coming days, Disaster Management Agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho warned saying over 500 people are being treated in several local hospitals.
There are also concerns over the whereabouts of hundreds of people preparing for a beach festival due to start yesterday evening.
The tsunami was triggered by a strong quake that brought down buildings and sent locals fleeing for higher ground. Reports say that the shallow 7.5 magnitude tremor was more powerful than a series of quakes that killed hundreds on the Indonesian island of Lombok in July and August.
Indonesian president Joko Widodo said military have been called in to the disaster-struck region to help search-and-rescue teams get to victims and find bodies.
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.
Also Read: Indonesia Earthquake: Death Toll Rises To 347
Ms Kalinga