A powerful 7.5 magnitude earthquake hit the city of Palau in Sulawesi Island, Indonesia on Friday, September 28, 2018, with no immediate reports of deaths or injuries.

Earlier on Friday, the US Geological Survey said that a 7.5 magnitude earthquake occurred off Indonesia's Sulawesi coast, while authorities said another earthquake -preceding this one- has destroyed some homes, killing one person and injuring at least 10, but no tsunami warning was issued.

The earthquake destroyed and levelled many buildings and was followed by a tsunami wave which forced residents to flee their homes towards higher grounds in panic.

Head of the Disaster Agency division of Earthquake and Tsunami confirmed the disaster hitting Palau city.

The city has a population of about 350,000 and is about 80 kilometers from the epicentre of the earthquake.

In July and August of this year, a series of earthquakes struck the tourist island of Lombok, hundreds of kilometers south-west of Sulawesi Island, killing 500 people.

Indonesia is located in the "Ring of Fire" in the Pacific Ocean, which suffers frequent earthquakes.

In 2004, a 9.1 magnitude earthquake killed 226 thousand people, with more than 120 thousand in Indonesia alone and tsunamis sweeping through 13 countries.

Another view of the major tsunami reported to have hit Palu, Indonesia after M 7.5 earthquake today, Sept 28! Report: Alerta Roja pic.twitter.com/rnUgTpuFqf

— severe-weather.EU (@severeweatherEU) September 28, 2018