Strong and shallow M6.1 earthquake hits Sulawesi, Indonesia

strong-and-shallow-m6-1-earthquake-hits-sulawesi-indonesia

A strong and shallow earthquake registered by the USGS as M6.1 hit Sulawesi, Indonesia at 07:00 UTC on September 28, 2018. The agency is reporting a depth of 18.1 km (11.2 miles). EMSC is reporting M6.1 at a depth of 10 km (6.2 miles), BMKG M6.0 at the same depth.

According to the USGS, the epicenter was located 30 km (18 miles) N of Donggala, 57 km (35 miles) NNW of Palu (population 282 431), and 155 km (96 miles) NW of Poso (population 47 110 miles).

There are 1 110 000 people living within 100 km (62 miles) and about 4 000 within 10 km (6.2 miles).

The USGS registered M5.4 and 4.9 aftershocks at 07:00 and 07:28 UTC, respectively. Both at a depth of 10 km.

The USGS issued a green alert for shaking-related fatalities and economic losses. There is a low likelihood of casualties and damage.

Overall, the population in this region resides in structures that are vulnerable to earthquake shaking, though resistant structures exist. The predominant vulnerable building types are informal (metal, timber, GI etc.) and heavy wood frame construction.

Estimated population exposure to earthquake shaking

Selected cities exposed

Regional seismicity

Updates:

One person has been killed and 10 others were injured, said Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, spokesperson of the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB).

Dozens of homes were damaged.

This quake was followed by a very strong and shallow earthquake registered by the BMKG as M7.7 10:02 UTC (17:02 local time). Powerful aftershocks are shaking the region.

Featured image credit: USGS, EMSC

Share:

Commenting rules and guidelines

We value the thoughts and opinions of our readers and welcome healthy discussions on our website. In order to maintain a respectful and positive community, we ask that all commenters follow these rules:

  • Treat others with kindness and respect.
  • Stay on topic and contribute to the conversation in a meaningful way.
  • Do not use abusive or hateful language.
  • Do not spam or promote unrelated products or services.
  • Do not post any personal information or content that is illegal, obscene, or otherwise inappropriate.

We reserve the right to remove any comments that violate these rules. By commenting on our website, you agree to abide by these guidelines. Thank you for helping to create a positive and welcoming environment for all.

Leave a reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *