Indonesia: Death toll may climb well above 800 after destructive earthquake, tsunami

By Faith Eherts, AccuWeather meteorologist

September 30, 2018, 12:03:05 PM EDT

Over 830 people have died after a powerful 7.5 magnitude earthquake rocked the Indonesian island of Sulawesi on Friday and triggered a destructive tsunami.

Nearly all of the deaths have been in the city of Palu, according to the Associated Press (AP). The city is home to more than 380,000 people. A mass burial was scheduled for Sunday due to health reasons.

Officials fear that the death toll will continue to climb significantly higher as crews sift through the rubble.

A passing shower or thunderstorm can briefly interfere with rescue and recovery efforts daily into midweek. Most of the time, however, will be dry with times of clouds and sunshine and high temperatures near 32 C (90 F).

Cries for help have been heard throughout Palu as people remain trapped under collapsed buildings.

The earthquake was initially measured at a magnitude of 7.5 by the United States Geological Survey (USGS). About 10 minutes later, another quake struck the area, this one registering as a magnitude of 5.8.

A spokesperson for Indonesia's Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) confirmed that a tsunami occurred along a shoreline of Palu after the earthquake.

Houses were reportedly swept away and families are reported missing following the tsunami, according to the Associated Press. The 3-meter (10-foot) -tall tsunami impacted at least two cities, disrupting communication and power to the area.

A beach festival was ongoing in Palu, the capital of Central Sulawesi province, when the tsunami hit, the AP reported.

An official with Akris, the local disaster agency, said that many houses collapsed due to the powerful evening earthquake.

A department store building is seen heavily damaged by earthquake in Palu, Central Sulawesi, Indonesia, Saturday, Sept. 29, 2018. The powerful earthquake rocked the Indonesian island of Sulawesi on Friday, triggering a 3-meter-tall (10-foot-tall) tsunami that an official said swept away houses in at least two cities. (AP Photo/Rifki)

"It happened while we still have difficulties in collecting data from nine villages affected by the first quake,” he told the AP. “People ran out in panic.”

According to disaster agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, the Donggala area in central Sulawesi Province has sustained significant damage.

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Earlier on Friday, a nearby quake with a magnitude 5.0 struck the same area. This event reportedly damaged homes.

The nation has suffered from several powerful earthquakes in recent months, which have killed nearly 500 people and caused widespread damage.