A 7.5-magnitude earthquake

A major earthquake and tsunami hit the island of Sulawesi on Friday evening, devastating the regional capital Palu and surrounding areas.



The 7.5-magnitude earthquake hit around 6pm, and was followed by tsunami waves of up to 6m high.

Thousands of homes and buildings have been destroyed, including an entire housing estate home to 900 people.

Officials have warned that the final death toll could rise into the thousands, with some of the worst hit areas still yet to be accessed by rescuers.

The worst-affected areas

As the tsunami approached land, it was travelling at up to 250mph (400km/h), with a reported wave height of up to 6 metres.

The earthquake was not expected to result in a tsunami of this scale, with the huge waves taking scientists by surprise.

The full picture of what caused the size of the waves is not yet known, but there is speculation that landslides under the sea and the geography of the bay may have been contributing factors.

Before and after disaster struck

Palu, home to 350,000, was flattened by the tsunami, with thousands of homes, hotels and shopping malls collapsing.

As the death toll continues to mount, residents also face food and fuel shortages, alongside widespread power outages.

Search efforts are largely being done by hand, as the heavy equipment required to move the rubble has not yet reached affected areas.