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At least 30 people were killed by a massive earthquake and tsunami that hit the city of Palu on the island of Sulawesi, Indonesia, a hospital official told the television channel. Local Metro TV.
A 3-meter-high tsunami swept Palu at dusk on Friday after the sleepy but growing resort was shaken by a magnitude 7.5 earthquake.
A man reviews the damage caused by the earthquake and tsunami in Palu, central Sulawesi, Indonesia.
Images of amateurs broadcast by local television channels, which could not be immediately authenticated by Reuters, showed crushing waters in the houses along the Palu coastline, scattering transport containers and flooding a mosque in the city.
"Victims' bodies have been found in several places because they have been hit by the ruins of ruined or tsunami-stricken buildings (…), but we still collect data," he said. said Saturday the spokesman of the National Agency for Disaster Reduction, Sutopo Purwo Nugroho.
Dr. Komang Adi Sujendra told Metro TV that 30 people were killed and their bodies transported to his hospital, adding that another 12 wounded had been operated on for orthopedic surgery.
Nugroho refused to give an official report.
A spokesman for the Australian Foreign Ministry said the government was unaware of any Australian affected by the disaster but was continuing its dealings with local authorities.
The Palu region was hit by a lighter earthquake on Friday, which destroyed some homes, left one dead and at least 10 injured in the fishing village of Donggala, the closest to the epicenter.
The US Geological Survey estimated the magnitude of the second earthquake at a high 7.5 after initially stating that it was 7.7.
Indonesians gather in front of the Undata hospital after the 7.7 magnitude earthquake in Palu, central Sulawesi, Indonesia.
AAP
The earthquake and tsunami caused a power outage that cut communications around Palu.
On Saturday, the authorities were still struggling to coordinate relief operations without electricity or communication as the area was shaken by aftershocks.
Metro TV broadcast an amateur sequence showing tsunami water remnants, a collapsed bridge, large cracks in roads and badly damaged buildings.
A tsunami-swept car is seen stuck under a damaged building in Palu, central Sulawesi, Indonesia.
Chief of Security Wiranto told TVOne that the army had started sending cargo planes carrying help from the capital, Jakarta.
The city's airport remained closed after the runway and the air traffic control tower was damaged, but officials announced that they were preparing to reopen to allow the airport to be closed. help to go home.
More than 600,000 people live in Donggala and Palu.
