On the 28th of September, a 7.5 magnitude earthquake hit Central Sulawesi, causing hundreds of deaths, and a subsequent tsunami warning. The Makassar Strait was lucky enough to be able to recover, but the Sulawesi were hit with a tsunami that wiped entire blocks of houses off the map. The area has also been affected with mudslides due to the earthquake, burying structures beneath the waves of mud.

This event has proved to be catastrophic, resulting in some loss of family for many and some completely destroyed. The event became further tragic because the 30th anniversary of the city of Palu was happening, and a celebration called the Palu Nomoni Festival was underway. However, post-earthquake, the festival resumed.

The tsunami detectors down the bay were likely damaged during the earthquake, as there was little warning of the coming tsunami that wrought destruction upon the people in their time of festivity. Over 70,000 houses were hit, as well as the Kuning Polulele bridge. Prisoners in the Donggala Penitentiary rioted and set the compound on fire, leading to over 100 escapes. Further mudslides were reported, and the Mutiara SIS Al-Jufrie airport was closed.

Overall, the situation has gone from bad to worse with the loss of infrastructure such as roads and bridges, and the closing of Al-Jufrie will lessen the ability for Palu to receive help. We can all simply hope that they get help in their time of need, and watch the event closely.