A magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck the Poso region of Central Sulawesi on Thursday night (July 24, 2025), sending residents fleeing into the streets and prompting many to spend the night in makeshift tents amid fears of aftershocks.

The quake, which occurred at 9:06 p.m. local time, had its epicenter inland, at coordinates 2.01° S and 120.78° E, centered in the Southeast Pamona District. The tremor, at a shallow depth of 10 kilometers, was strongly felt in both Southeast and South Pamona, according to the Central Sulawesi Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD).

“A magnitude 6.0 aftershock hit the Poso area tonight. As of now, no casualties have been reported,” said Dr. Ir. H. Akris Fattah Yunus, MM, head of the Central Sulawesi BPBD, in a statement.

Early damage reports indicate minor structural impact in three villages:

Tokilo (Southeast Pamona): 1 house with light damage

Tindoli (Southeast Pamona): 1 house with light damage

Pendolo (South Pamona): 1 house with light damage

While officials are still assessing the number of displaced residents and their immediate needs, many locals have already opted to sleep outdoors due to ongoing aftershocks.

“People have started setting up tents outside their homes. No one wants to sleep inside tonight,” said Koko Ephen, a local activist with the Panorama Alam Lestari Foundation (YPAL), in a voice message shared by resident Budiman Maliki to JafarBuaisme.com.

Bram Badilo, a resident of Tokilo, echoed the same fear: “Our family is too anxious to sleep inside. We’re afraid of another quake.”

In response, Central Sulawesi’s Quick Response Team (TRC) has been deployed to assess the situation on the ground and coordinate with local authorities in the affected villages of Tokilo, Tindoli, and Pendolo.

“We are closely monitoring the developments. Our top priority right now is ensuring the safety of residents and evaluating the extent of the damage,” said Akris.

Meteorological Agency Urges Caution

Indonesia’s Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) has urged residents to remain alert to the risk of aftershocks but cautioned against spreading or trusting unverified information.

As of this writing, there have been no additional reports of major damage or fatalities. ***