The 1909 Kulawi Earthquake in the Colonial Report

The earthquake that occurred in the Kulawi region in 1909, was one of the major earthquakes caused by the Palu Koro fault. The earthquake that occurred on March 18, 1909, was recorded in a number of colonial writings and reports at that time.

Dutch geologist E.C. Abendanon, for example, in his book Geologische en Geographisce doorkuisingen van Midden Celebes published in 1915 wrote, earthquake shocks were felt from February to the end of July 1909. Until April 1909, earthquakes were also felt in Donggala, where shocks were accompanied by vibrations and sounds, such as rumblings. Dibbetz from Donggala, described the roar as 'friction sound consisting of short vibrations, which are very fast, almost one sound'.

Abendanon mentioned the earthquake shocks in 1909, coming to Kulawi from the South, also to Donggala from the northeast. Therefore, this seems to indicate more than one effective epicenter.

The most severe shaking in Donggala occurred in February. The strongest shock occurred on March 18, 1909 in Kulawi, causing damage to the Kulawi plain, the Gimpu plain, and on the road to Lake Lindu. The first shock in the southern part of Kulawi caused all houses to fall, including those damaged in 1907, young coconuts fell from trees, everyone who stood fell to the ground and lots of land split.

The clerk in Lemo, Kulawi, Wenas, in the earthquake that occurred on March 18, 1909, noted, the earthquake occurred around 05.30, where shocks were felt in Kulawi. The first shock was very severe and caused dozens of houses and warehouses to collapse. In addition to the damage, according to the Civil Gezhagebber (ruler) Kulawi report, Ch Logeman, that 4 people were killed in an accident due to earthquake shocks, where these people were buried alive. Excavation is no longer possible.

Wenas wrote, at that time, fear had completely taken over residents. According to local belief, the earthquake was caused by angry evil spirits, because the road had to be built, thus damaging their habitat, such as land and trees.

According to Ch Logeman's report, dated April 20, 1909, most of the houses in the villages of Bolapapu, Boladangko, Sungku, Mataue, Tamungku Lowi, Pobatua, Toro, and on the Gimpu plain, were overthrown by the March 18 1909 earthquake. In Koelawi, residents still dare to spend the night in homes that still stand. Shocks are always felt, preceded by blunt rumblings, but the intensity of the shaking, all towards the South and North, feels decreased.

In many places, in the plains, and also in the mountains, the land is split, the main gap to the North-South of Namo stretches over the villages of Tinabe and Lempe, where landslides occur in some places approximately 30 cm. At Boladangko and on to Pobatua for more than 7 km in length, a landslide occurred. Due to the landslide caused by the earthquake, the road from Sakidi to Kulawi, starting from the Momi Bosé river, was almost impassable, because fallen trees blocked the road in various places. According to the community, the Gimpu plain has also been divided in various places. Kulaw residents feel very eager to leave the plains and go to Gimpu, but apparently the situation is tantamount to living in Kulawi. Residents are advised to move to Tuva or Pakuli.

According to Wenas, two shocking earthquakes were felt on April 9 in Kulawi, both in the first south-north direction at 8.45am, with ± 5 seconds long, and quite loud, the second at 9.30am ± 10 seconds.

On May 1, 1909, Logeman reported, on April 24, Kulawi felt a strong shock (south-north direction, ± 10 seconds duration, also on April 29 at 8.30, with a duration of ± 15 seconds. Because of the strong shaking, Boladangko residents did not dare stay at their house at night, between the 29th and 30th.

The strange thing is that this shock is hardly felt in Lemo, even though the distance between Lemo and Boladangko is only ± 700 meters. On April 30th, shocks occurred at 7 in the morning. Earthquakes also occur at night. a severe earthquake lasting ± 30 seconds, followed by minor shaking for several hours. Since May 1, the shock increased in such a way that the houses in Sungku, which had already been erected, collapsed again.

In Kamonji, which is ± 200 meters from Lemo, and in Lempe, which is ± 500 meters from Lemo, and other villages were surprised, because the shaking was not felt there, only underground rumbles preceded all the shocks, which were heard everywhere.

On the road from Momi Bosé to Sadaunta, several trees had fallen, many of them buried in parts of Sadaunta-Momi, by soil that had flowed down with water, due to continued rain.

Logeman wrote that the Kulawi people, even though from the outside it appeared calm, were in a very agitated state. They hardly dare to talk about earthquakes, perhaps because they are afraid to confuse and anger the spirits they think they are as the cause of the earthquake.

On May 23, 1909, Logeman reported, no major shock was felt in Kulawi, from 2 to 16 May. Only a few shocks can be observed almost every day. On May 16 at 11 am, a great shock was felt, with a duration of ± 10 seconds, preceded by a rumble, in the South-North direction.

Shocks also occur at 8 pm, where there are two heavy shocks, preceded by a rumble, with a duration of ± 30 seconds. According to reports received, this shock came from just below Koelawi, and the ground must have moved up and down almost vertically. It was clear that at that time, the epicenter was definitely just below Kulawi.

He also reported, on May 24 at 9 am, shocks occurred with a duration of 10 seconds, May 25 at 10 in the morning, with a duration of 10 seconds. Then from May 26 to June 17 there were no more earthquake phenomena, no slight shaking and no underground rumbling. On June 17, a fairly large shock occurred at 10am vertically, with a duration of 2 seconds.

Then on June 29, great shaking which began with a rumble underground, June 30 there were four shocking shocks between 12 and noon, July 1 at 6.30 am between 9 and 10 am, July 21 at 10 am, one shock with duration ± 3 seconds, July 27 at 1.50 in the morning a mild shock, and at 4 in the afternoon a slight shock with a duration of ± 2 seconds. After 27 July, there were no more shocks in Kulawi.