A magnitude 6.7 earthquake struck Indonesia's Sulawesi island on June 16, 2026, centered near the city of Palu in Central Sulawesi province [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]. The quake occurred at a shallow depth of about 10 kilometers [1, 2, 3, 5, 6]. Sources differ on the exact epicenter location, with some reporting it about 42 kilometers southeast of Palu and others about 46 kilometers east-southeast of the city [1, 2, 3, 5, 6]. The local time of the quake was either 10:27 a.m. or 11:27 a.m., depending on the source [3, 5, 6].
The earthquake caused structural damage in Palu, including cracks in a key bridge, damage to government offices, a university auditorium, and several hotels [4, 6]. Hotel general manager Effendi Natali said, "We have evacuated all guests from the hotel, including several guests who remained in their rooms" [4]. Residents also evacuated buildings in fear due to memories of the devastating 2018 earthquake and tsunami [3, 4, 5, 6]. Palu resident Nurhaidar described the shaking: "Suddenly, it was like there was a jolt, and then the whole house seemed to shake. The entire roof was making noise, like it was about to collapse. I hurried to evacuate with all the kids, and even though we were disoriented and confused for a moment, we managed to get out" [3].
The earthquake was felt strongly in Palu and nearby Sigi [3, 4]. Officials did not issue any tsunami warning and reported no tsunami risk from the quake [1, 2, 3, 5, 6]. No immediate reports of casualties have emerged [3, 5, 6].
The most recent report places the quake around 46 kilometers east-southeast of Palu at a shallow 10-kilometer depth and notes building damage [5, 6]. Emergency teams continue to assess the situation and monitor affected areas.
