TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - An earthquake measuring 5.0 magnitude in the Richter scale rocked Sukabumi, West Java today, March 10, at 05:18:05 p.m. local times, the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) reported.

The quake that centered at the land; 13 kilometers northeast of Sukabumi or precisely at 6.89 degrees south latitude and 106.62 degrees east longitude with a depth of 10 kilometers, had no potential to trigger a tsunami.

There was no further report about the cause and the tremor range yet.

On February 5, 2020, a 4.2 magnitude quake jolted the areas. The tremor was felt in Ciletuh-Pelabuhan Ratu at the intensity level II of the MMI scale.

The quake’s epicenter was recorded at 7.33 degrees south latitude and 106.63 degrees east longitude, 39 kilometers southeast of Sukabumi Regency. As its hypocenter was at 109 kilometers, the quake was categorized as moderate caused by the subduction of the Indo-Australian plate under the Eurasian plates.

Previously, the BMKG issued a warning of the megathrust zone in the southern waters of Sukabumi that has a possible earthquake up to 8.7 magnitudes. This strong tremor potentially raises the alert level of awas (danger) in the coastal areas of Sukabumi.

BMKG noted that the warning was based on the study in 2011. “We don’t mean to frighten the people, but to remind the local government to design mitigation efforts,” the agency underlined.

ZACHARIAS WURAGIL