Coastal Areas on Alert Following Massive Magnitude 7.7 Sulawesi Sea Earthquake

RRI.CO.ID, Palu - Indonesia’s disaster mitigation apparatus has swung into action following a powerful magnitude 7.7 earthquake that struck the Sulawesi Sea on Monday morning, triggering localized tsunami warnings and prompting mandatory evacuation orders for several high-risk coastal communities.

The National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) has urged residents across five vulnerable coastal provinces, North Sulawesi, Gorontalo, Central Sulawesi, North Maluku, and East Kalimantan, to immediately stay clear of beachfronts and coastal waterways.

The powerful undersea convulsion occurred at 7.37 a.m. local time, at a depth of 47 kilometers. The Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) located the epicenter northwest of Karatung Island in North Sulawesi, a sector bordering Mindanao in the southern Philippines.

The agency subsequently confirmed it had detected minor tsunami waves measuring up to 18 centimeters along the coastlines of North Sulawesi and North Maluku, while keeping eight areas in North Sulawesi under a strict tsunami Standby (Siaga) status.

In response to the shifting threat levels, the central government has directed regional leaders to execute swift, orderly evacuations where necessary.

"The provincial, regency, and city administration currently under 'Advisory' status are instructed to immediately direct the public to evacuate in an orderly manner toward higher ground," said BNPB spokesperson Abdul Muhari in a written statement received in Palu on Monday, June 8, 2026, as quoted by Antara.

Meanwhile, for areas designated under Alert (Waspada) tier, disaster officials emphasized that vigilance must remain exceptionally high despite the absence of mandatory moving orders.

"People in the watch areas should immediately move away from coastal zones and riverbanks, as well as temporarily suspend all maritime activities," Abdul added, underscoring the unpredictable nature of post-quake marine currents.

Despite the initial wave of anxiety that naturally follows an earthquake of this magnitude, the BNPB reported that field conditions have remained largely orderly. Abdul noted that the situation on the ground is currently observed to be safe, calm, and under control.

Local branches of the Regional Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD) have deployed personnel throughout the vulnerable sectors to watch for any delayed environmental impacts.

"Joint BPBD teams in each region continue to conduct periodic monitoring in the field to observe any post-earthquake impacts and to ensure that coastal conditions remain safe," Abdul said.

The response strategy is currently being managed under a unified command structure. The BNPB is actively reinforcing its joint operations on the ground, pulling together resources from the BPBD, the Indonesian Military (TNI), the National Police (Polri), the National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas), as well as local humanitarian organizations and disaster volunteers.

As joint teams continue their coastal sweeps, authorities are appealing to the public to look out for one another and rely strictly on validated communications channels to prevent the spread of misinformation.

"We urge the public not to panic, to prioritize the safety of vulnerable groups such as the elderly, people with disabilities, and children, and to always comply with official instructions from inter-agency officers managing the situation in the field," Abdul concluded. ***