Tsunami strikes Indonesia ; 50 reported dead

Almost 50 people were confirmed dead following a strong tsunami that swept through Palu, Indonesia on Friday.

A 7.5 magnitude earthquake triggered a tsunami with waves of approximately 7 feet englufing the land. 

Indonesia’s disaster agency said at least 48 people have been killed from the latest quake but that the figure could rise.

“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.

Palu is home to more than 300,000 people. Rescue operations have started but a minister said that communications had been disrupted and that the runway in the city was damaged, although it was hoped that helicopters would still be able to land.