TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) recorded at least eight earthquakes on Sumatra Island during the past 10 days. Five of them occurred in West Sumatra, and four of them were reported in Bukittinggi.

The latest quake was measured at 2.7 magnitudes and located 11 kilometers southwest of Pesawaran, Lampung on Monday, September 26, 2022. Coming from a depth of 12 kilometers, this weak quake could still be felt at the Modified Mercalli Intensity (MMI) level II.

"The seismic activity in the Sianok segment of the Sumatran fault is rising,” said the acting head of the agency’s quake and tsunami Center, Daryono, when contacted on Monday, September 26, 2022.

Another segment reporting a surge in seismic activity from the Sumatran Fault, which is also known as the Semangko Fault, is the Tripa segment which had triggered two quakes in Takengon, Central Aceh, in the past ten days.

BMKG data showed that earthquakes that were triggered by the activity of this segment caused stronger shocks up to MMI level IV. "It has also been a long time since a quake was recorded there. The last quake with a magnitude of 7 occurred back in 1935," Daryono informed.

The agency is closely monitoring the increase in seismic activity in the two areas, besides in other regions. However, no early warning has been issued due to the high uncertainty in such events.

“Small quakes can be a sign of a bigger or stronger quake, but there are also cases that they just disappear,” Daryono explained.

Here is the list of eight earthquakes on Sumatra in the past ten days as reported by BMKG:

1. On September 16 in Bukittinggi, MMI level II-III

M2.9 quake occurred at 23:54 western Indonesian time (WIB). Its epicenter was recorded at 7 kilometers southwest of Bukittinggi and at a depth of 10 kilometers.

2. On September 18 in Bukittinggi, MMI level II-III

M3.5 quake occurred at 13:46 WIB. Its epicenter was recorded at 5 kilometers southwest of Bukittinggi and at a depth of 10 kilometers.

3. On September 19 - Takengon, Central Aceh - MMI level II-III

M4.5 quake occurred at 10:44 WIB. Its epicenter was recorded at 35 kilometers southwest of Takengon and at a depth of 3 kilometers.

4. On September 23 - Takengon, Central Aceh - MMI level IV

M5.1 quake occurred at 02:36 WIB. Its epicenter was recorded at 34 kilometers southwest of Takengon and at a depth of 10 kilometers.

5. On September 23 - Padang - MMI level II-III

M3.7 quake occurred at 11:30 WIB. Its epicenter was recorded at 20 kilometers southwest of Pariaman and at a depth of 67 kilometers.

6. On September 25 - Bukittinggi - MMI level II-III

M2.9 quake occurred at 20:30 WIB. Its epicenter was recorded at 9 kilometers northwest of Bukittinggi and at a depth of 10 kilometers.

7. On September 25 - Bukittinggi - MMI level II-III

M2.9 quake occurred at 21:23 WIB. Its epicenter was recorded at 5 kilometers northeast of Bukittinggi and at a depth of 10 kilometers.

8. On September 26 - Pesawaran - MMI level II

M2.7 earthquake occurred at 06:36 WIB. Its epicenter was recorded at 11 kilometers southwest of Pesawaran and at a depth of 6 kilometers.

ZACHARIAS WURAGIL

Click here to get the latest news updates from Tempo in Google News