Disaster which hit Palu was test from Allah - resident

By Amrizan Madian

PALU CITY (Sulawesi), Oct 10 (Bernama) -- Palu City is well-known as a centre for Islamic development and among famous religious scholars in Sulawesi was the old master SIS Al-Jufri.

A Palu resident Sofiati Saidi, 60, said Palu had long been popular among Muslims who want to acquire more knowledge on Islam.

"It is not true when people say that this is a city full of sins .

"Islam flourished here and we had always followed the teachings of religion," she said adding the disaster which struck Palu was a test from Allah.

For those who have visited Palu, they would be aware that the city is one of the main centres to study Islam in Sulawesi, she added.

Recalling the devastating earthquake and tsunami on Sept 28, Sofiati said on the fateful day Palu was shaken and the ground started to crack apart.

"Water oozed from underground, the ground opened up and the mud floods destroyed everything in its path including my village.

"Many of my relatives died and some of the bodies were only found yesterday ... our family was safe and to this day we are afraid of staying at home," she said.

For the time being Sofiati would be staying with her family in Balikpapan until the situation in Palu returns to normal.

According to Sofiati the earthquake and tsunami incident in Palu was the worst she had ever experienced.

A massive earthquake of  7.7 magnitude with its epicentre in the northeast of Donggala shook Palu and Donggala, Central Sulawesi causing a three-metre-high tsunami.

As of Tuesday, the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) of Indonesia reported that the death toll from the disaster had risen to 1,763 with about 5,000 others still missing.

-- BERNAMA