Indonesia’s Central Sulawesi Governor Anwar Hafid has ordered emergency response measures after a magnitude-6.7 tectonic earthquake struck the Palu area on Tuesday.
“Public safety is our top priority. I am asking all government agencies to move swiftly in handling the emergency response, assisting affected residents, and ensuring that all basic needs are met,” he said in Palu.
Anwar instructed all relevant regional agencies, medical personnel, and disaster management teams to take immediate response measures to ensure public safety.
He also urged residents in Palu, Sigi, Donggala, and other affected areas to remain calm and follow official information from the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) and the government.
Medical personnel have been deployed to affected locations to provide healthcare services for injured residents, while hospitals and other healthcare facilities have been instructed to increase preparedness for potential casualties and post-earthquake medical needs.
Hospitals have also been asked to set up emergency medical tents in open areas to anticipate possible aftershocks and ensure the safety of patients, health workers, and residents seeking treatment.
In addition, relevant agencies and the Central Sulawesi Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD) have been instructed to prepare safe temporary shelters for displaced residents.
The provincial government said meeting evacuees’ basic needs would remain a priority during the emergency response period.
