Tsunami Panic Strikes Again

Indonesian officials, as well as the majority of the population, are on red alert again for another tsunami wave, given that a new earthquake struck the Sulawesi Island on Sunday. The local population ran towards the hills in great panic, fearing another tsunami was triggered.

According to the US Geological Survey, the quake occurred at around 107 kilometers south of Gorontalo in the northern part of the Sulawesi Island, which is situated 2,000 kilometers northeast of capital Jakarata. In spite of its high magnitude, it did not cause either damages or injuries or deaths. According to Sgt. Daule of the local police force, the town of Luwok felt most of the shaking, its population fleeing to higher ground and shouting: "Beware tsunami! Beware tsunami!"

As opposed to last week's slowness in attending to the earthquake and then, tsunami waves, the Indonesian authorities were prompt this time in recording the 6.6 degree magnitude quake. Moreover, they warned the local population regarding the potential unfolding of a subsequent tsunami. However, since one did not occur, authorities called on the local residents to return to their homes. "We are sending a message to the people to go home because the situation is now safe", one of the officials at the Indonesian geological agency stated.

Meanwhile, the death toll from last Monday's destructive tsunami wave rose to 668, as additional local death toll reports from small villages around the southern coast of the Java Island, continued to pour in. 287 other are reported missing, while more than 74,000 people are currently displaced.