Indonesia earthquake: Hundreds dead in Palu quake and tsunami

Jakarta: More than 380 people have been confirmed dead after a tsunami triggered by a magnitude 7.5 earthquake hit an Indonesian city on Friday.
Waves up to 3m (10ft) high swept through Palu on Sulawesi island.
Video on social media shows people screaming and fleeing in panic and a mosque amongst the buildings damaged.
Strong aftershocks continued to rock the city on Saturday. Thousands of homes have collapsed, along with hospitals, hotels and shopping centres.
Rescue efforts are under way, though hampered by a major power cut. The main road to Palu has been blocked due to a landslide.
‘Many bodies along the shoreline’
Indonesia’s disaster agency said at least 384 people have been killed. More than 350 have been injured.
A less powerful quake earlier on Friday had killed at least one person and injured at least 10 in the smaller fishing town of Donggala.
“We have not received comprehensive reports yet because communications are cut. Many bodies were found along the shoreline because of the tsunami, but the numbers are still unknown,” Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, a spokesman for the agency, told Reuters.
It is not clear whether the deaths came in the quake or the resulting tsunami.
TV footage showed dozens of injured people being treated outside in makeshift medical tents.
Palu and Donggala are home to more than 600,000 people. A minister said the runway in Palu was damaged, although it was hoped that helicopters would still be able to land.
The country’s military has started sending cargo planes of relief aid from the capital, Jakarta.
The earthquake hit just off central Sulawesi at a depth of 10km (6.2 miles) just before 18:00 (11:00 GMT), the US Geological Survey said.
A tsunami warning was issued, but lifted within the hour. Indonesia’s meteorological agency has been criticised for its response, but officials said the waves struck while the warning was in place.