On September 28, on a Friday evening, a recorded 7.5-magnitude earthquake hit the city of Palu, Indonesia. The aftershocks of the earthquake caused a strong tsunami to hit nearby Indonesian beaches, including the central island of Sulawesi. The official death toll rises to 384 people confirmed killed and at least 500 people severely injured. Injured patients are being treated outside city hospitals. Rescue workers are also currently searching for missing residents. According to the BBC, aid is being flown from the capital Jakarta into Palu airport, using the part of its runway still intact. Some people injured or affected by the quake were evacuated on a military transport plane. Three quakes of 4.9 and larger magnitudes were recorded up to three hours before the tremor near Palu, the USGS (United States Geological Survey) said.

When the quake hit, “we all panicked and ran out of the house,” Anser Bachmid, 39, told AFP news agency. “People here need aid-food, drink, clean water. We don’t know what to eat for dinner tonight.” Another Palu resident said, “I just ran when I saw the waves hitting homes on the coastline.”

“We have heard nothing from Donggala and this is extremely worrying,” the Red Cross said in a statement. “This is already a tragedy, but it could get much worse.”