News

384 killed in Indonesia tsunami

29 September 2018

By Lauren E. White

As far as natural disasters go, the Indonesian city of Palu has had a pretty horrific ordeal. Following an earthquake on Friday, a tsunami was triggered – and it has destroyed a huge chunk of the whole city.

The earthquake was registered as 7.5 magnitude and swept through the city, wiping out homes, shops and hospitals, leaving many vulnerable people out on the streets. Due to hospitals being unsafe to enter, the ill and injured have been treated outside, at the mercy of nature.

A man looks for his belongings amid the debris of his destroyed house in Palu.

So far, the official death toll count has hit 384, with 500 people injured in the disaster. Only 95 of the dead victims have been identified so far, and it is expected that the number of fatalities will increase as hundreds of people who were expected to attend a beach festival when the disaster struck are missing.

An eight-storey hotel has been wiped out, alongside a department store, the main highway and its bridge. Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, an official for the Indonesian disaster agency, said: “The tsunami didn’t come by itself, it dragged cars, logs, houses, it hit everything on land.”

Indonesia is prone to such natural disasters due to its location in the ‘ring of fire’ amongst fault lines and volcanoes.

Like this article? Please share!

  •
    Editorials Dealing with Wanting to Drop Out
    University can be one of the most challenging times in an individual’s life. Suddenly, you’re all away from home and the friends and family you love with a bunch of people who are so utterly different from you. You might not like your course, your ‘friends’ or the city you’re in. And suddenly you find […]
    Read Full Article
  • Editorials Last minute gift ideas to save you this Christmas
    It’s best to tackle Christmas gifts early, making lists and budgeting, or even scheduling time to make homemade gifts. But if Christmas has suddenly crept up on you, no need to fear, here are some last minute gift ideas to save you some stress.  1 – Sweets or chocolates Found literally everywhere and with lots […]
    Read Full Article
  • Editorials How a Volcanic Eruption Destroyed Pompeii
    The eruption of Mount Vesuvius is without question one of the most well-known natural disasters in history. The wake of this tragedy turned an entire city into smouldering ruins. So, what exactly happened in Pompeii? Before getting into the most well-known eruption of Mount Vesuvius, it is important to know that this volcano had erupted […]
    Read Full Article
  • News Haiti earthquake and the aftermath
    As unfortunate as it is, Haiti has long been prone to natural disasters. In 2004, tropical storms devastated the nation, killing 3,006 people. In 2010 an absolutely devastating earthquake took the lives of 200 – 300,000 people. Unfortunately, yet another earthquake has hit the nation. On the 14 August, a 7.2 magnitude earthquake struck Haiti. […]
    Read Full Article
  • Reviews Top 3 Albums of 2020
    2020 has been the worst year on record for a long while. But we did get some good music to keep us going. If you’re expecting this list to include any Hip Hop, R&B, techno, etc., then I’m afraid you’ll be disappointed. However, at least they’re current. So, whether you like it or not, here […]
    Read Full Article
  • Editorials An Ode to 2020
    When we sat around television last year on New Year’s Eve watching the fireworks boom in London at 12am on 1st January 2020, there was a sense of hope. I remember hoping that this would be a good year – that things would be a little bit brighter for everyone than they had been before. […]
    Read Full Article