Baubau, SE Sulawesi, Sept 30 (Antara) - Baubau Mayor A.S.Tamrin expressed his deep condolences and prayed for the dead victims and survivors of the 7.4-magnitude earthquake that rocked Palu city and Donggala District, Central Sulawesi Province, on Friday.
He asked hundreds of residents and guests attending the People of Baubau's Fiesta here on Saturday evening to read out Surah Al Fatihah to pray for and commemorate those badly affected by the strong earthquake.
"Let us recite Surah Al Fatihah for our brothers and sisters in the city of Palu and Donggala District with a hope that they will soon be released from sufferings," he asked the crowds of people at the event showcasing young pop Dangdut singer Putri Isnari.
The earthquake that hit several parts of Central Sulawesi Province on Friday afternoon was followed by tsunami, which had badly smashed the coasts of Palu city and Donggala District.
According to Head of the National Disaster Mitigation Agencyd (BNPB) Wilem Rampangilei, as of Saturday evening, the death toll of the earthquake and tsunami that hit the city of Palu on Friday has reached 420.
"It is the death toll that we have so far counted in Palu alone. We have yet to count the casualties in the districts of Donggala and Sigi," he said, adding that the damages in the two districts might be significant enough.
The BNPB has yet to receive information on both casualties and level of damages in Donggala and Sigi Districts because of the disruption of communication networks, he said.
Therefore, the disaster response task force prioritizes efforts to search and rescue the victims, and handle survivors taking refuge to safer places, Wilem Rampangilei said.
"As of Saturday evening, around 10,000 displaced people have been taking refuge to more than 50 places in Palu. They are given temporary shelters and supplies of food and medicine," he said.
In response to this catastrophe, President Joko Widodo has expressed his condolences to those affected by the earthquake and tsunami.
The Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency has issued a tsunami warning following the earthquake. The tremors of the strong earthquake were also felt by those living in Mamuju District, around 237 kilometers away from Donggala District.