A 6.7 magnitude earthquake shakes part of Indonesia, killing at least 1,
causing damage and injuries
[June 17, 2026]
By MOHAMMAD TAUFAN
PALU, Indonesia (AP) — A 6.7 magnitude earthquake shook part of central
Indonesia ’s Sulawesi island Tuesday, killing at least one resident,
injuring dozens of people, damaging homes and infrastructure and
rattling residents of a city devastated by a quake and tsunami eight
years ago, officials said.
The initial quake was centered inland about 43 kilometers (27 miles)
east-southeast of Palu, and the U.S. Geological Survey said it was about
10 kilometers (6 miles) deep.
The strong shaking sent people fleeing into open areas in and around
Palu, a city of about 400,000 people and the capital of Central Sulawesi
province. Several hospitals evacuated patients, some with IV drips,
outdoors as a safety measure.
Four regencies close to the epicenter — with a combined population of
1.3 million — have yet to be fully assessed. A preliminary report said
at least 312 people have been displaced by the powerful earthquake.
Also, one person died, 38 others were reported injured and rushed to a
nearby hospital, including 13 with serious injuries in the hardest hit
Sigi regency, according to Abdul Muhari, the National Disaster
Management Agency's spokesperson.
He said the earthquake also caused widespread damage to buildings and
infrastructure, including 67 houses, six places of worship, four public
facilities, two bridges, two government office buildings and three
business sites. A section of a provincial road linking Palu city and its
neighboring regencies of Sigi and Poso was cut.
Indonesia’s Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysical Agency also
recorded that at least 71 aftershocks continued throughout the day,
raising concerns among residents shaken by memories of a devastating
2018 earthquake and tsunami in the region. The aftershocks prompted
residents to flee buildings and gather in open areas.
People also moved away from coastal areas as a precaution in case the
quake set off a tsunami. The agency said there was no danger of a
tsunami but warned aftershocks could continue.
“The earthquake shaking was extremely strong,” Palu resident Muhtar
Ahmad said. “We are still traumatized by the previous earthquake, so we
chose to remain outside because we are afraid that aftershocks may
continue.”
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A man talks on his mobile phone near a building damaged in an
earthquake in Palu, Central Sulawesi, Tuesday, June 16, 2026. (AP
Photo/Josua Marunduh)
Images from the area showed heavily damaged structures with
partially collapsed roofs, shattered walls and debris scattered
across the streets.
“We have evacuated all guests from the hotel, including several
guests who remained in their rooms,” said Effendi Natali, a general
manager of a four-star hotel in Palu.
“They all panicked, which is a natural reaction during an
earthquake, but everyone is safe,” Natali said, adding that the
hotel sustained only minor damage.
Many Sulawesi residents are haunted by the magnitude 7.5 earthquake
that devastated Palu in 2018, setting off a 3-meter (10-foot) high
tsunami and a phenomenon called liquefaction in which soil collapses
into itself. More than 4,000 people were killed, including many who
were buried when whole neighborhoods were swallowed in the falling
ground.
In January 2021, a magnitude 6.2 earthquake near the city of Mamuju
on Sulawesi island left at least 100 people dead, with thousands
sleeping outdoors for days out of fear of aftershocks.
Indonesia, a vast archipelago of more than 17,000 islands, is prone
to earthquakes and volcanic activity because of its location on the
“Ring of Fire,” an arc of volcanoes and fault lines in the Pacific
Basin.
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Associated Press journalists Niniek Karmini and Edna Tarigan in
Jakarta contributed to this report.
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