Palu is a chartered city on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi, at the mouth of the Palu River. It is the capital of the province of Central Sulawesi, situated on a long, narrow bay. Because of its sheltered position between mountain ridges, the climate is unusually dry. At the 2010 census Palu had a population of 336,532 On 28 September 2018, the city suffered severe damage due to a series of earthquakes followed by a tsunami, resulting in major soil liquefaction and mudflows, which caused many of the surrounding buildings to become submerged. At the 2020 census Palu had a population of 373,218, not including those living in neighbouring regencies.