Indonesian tsunami's moment of impact captured on video

Video has captured the moment a huge tsunami slammed into the coast of Indonesia, terrifying onlookers.

National Disaster Mitigation Agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho says a magnitude 7.5 earthquake that hit the island of Sulawesi caused a tsunami that hit Palu, the provincial capital, and Donggala.

According to the BBC a tsunami warning was issued after the initial earthquake, but was lifted after an hour.

Officials have reportedly said thirty people were killed, but it is yet to be confirmed if they died as a result of the tsunami.

An Indonesian resident posted a video on Twitter showing residents watching a wall of water roll in and screaming in terror as it flattened buildings.

"This footage shows the catastrophic moment when #tsunami hit the city of Palu after 7.7 magnitude #earthquake shook the city this evening," wrote Ramadhani Eko, who claims to work for the UN out of Jakarta in his description.

Mr Eko later added he had been sent the video by a colleague in the area and was trying to contact more people affected by the tsunami, from Jakarta.

"Our local news reported that electricity and communication lines have been shut down after the tsunami," he said.

"Our Risk and BCP teams are currently trying to reach them from Jakarta. Let's hope for the best."

A spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade told Newshub there were currently 488 New Zealanders registered on SafeTravel as being in Indonesia.

The spokesperson said MFAT was in contact with local authorities in Indonesia and was not aware of any New Zealanders affected by the earthquake.

All New Zealanders in Indonesia are advised to register their details on SafeTravel, let their families know they're okay and follow the instructions of local authorities.

Newshub.