Strong Earthquake Jolts Indonesia’s Sulawesi as Region Remains on Alert After Deadly Philippines Quake

A powerful 6.7-magnitude earthquake struck Indonesia’s Sulawesi Island on Tuesday morning, according to seismic monitoring agencies, with the epicentre located about 42 kilometres southeast of Palu at a depth of 10 kilometres.

The quake occurred at coordinates 1.073° South latitude and 120.263° East longitude, the National Center for Seismology (NCS) said. There were no immediate reports of casualties or significant damage.

The tremor came shortly after another strong earthquake measuring 6.1 magnitude struck off Indonesia’s Sumatra Island. The quake occurred in waters near Sumatra, part of the seismically active Pacific “Ring of Fire,” where several tectonic plates meet and generate frequent earthquakes and volcanic activity.

Authorities did not immediately report any deaths, injuries or major destruction from the Sumatra quake.

The latest seismic activity follows a devastating earthquake in the Philippines that killed at least 32 people after a 7.8-magnitude tremor struck near the southern city of General Santos. The powerful quake caused building collapses and triggered tsunami warnings across parts of the region.

In response, Indonesian authorities issued tsunami advisories for areas of Kalimantan and Sulawesi, warning that waves of up to three metres could affect some coastal regions. Disaster management officials directed residents in vulnerable areas, including Manado, Gorontalo and the Sangihe Islands, to move to higher ground as a precaution.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) reported tsunami waves of varying heights at six monitoring stations, with the highest reaching 1.4 metres.

The series of earthquakes highlights the persistent seismic risks across Southeast Asia, where countries along the Pacific Ring of Fire regularly face powerful earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and tsunami threats.