6.2 Quake Hits Indonesia, Major Damage, Buildings Collapse

Powerful M6.2 earthquake rocks Sulawesi, destroying buildings and bridges across the city of Mamuju at night – Number of people buried under collapsed buildings unknown

Strange Sounds

Indonesia has suffered another powerful M6.2 earthquake at 2:28 am on January 15, 2021, local time (January 14, 2021, 6:28:18 pm UTC), the latest in a series of quakes to hit the country.

The shallow epicenter (at a depth of 10km or 6.2 miles) of the strong jolt was situated 36 km S of Mamuju, home to around 15,000 people, resulting in large infrastructure damage as well as building and bridge collapses.

It is unknown how many people have been buried under the collapsed buildingsAccording to online videos and pictures, the office of the Governor of West Sulawesi collapsed as well as many other buildings in its vicinity.

High habitation buildings were also destroyed and partly collapsed during the strong shaking.

Earlier on Thursday, a M5.9 quake, which also had a depth of 10km, hit at 1.35pm local time with its epicenter located 4km from northwest Majene district.

The strong earthquake shook the West Sulawesi province in central Indonesia, also heavily damaging buildings and infrastructure in the region.

Two years ago in 2018, Indonesia was rocked by a massive 7.5-magnitude earthquake that subsequently triggered a tsunami, killing more than 4,300 people.