Tsunami Could Hit NYIA Airport in Yogyakarta: BPPT
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15 January 2019 09:20 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Yogyakarta - A tsunami researcher from the Assessment and Application of Technology Agency (BPPT), Widjo Kongko, said that a tsunami at a height of 10-15 meters has a potential to strike New Yogyakarta International Airport or NYIA in Kulon Progo, Yogyakarta.
According to Widjo, a recent study conducted by the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI) concluded that a collision of two megathrusts in the southern part of Java has the potential to generate a powerful earthquake with a magnitude of 9 on the Richter scale and that possibly trigger a tsunami.
“The underwater topography indicates deep sea trough in the subduction area, and so there is a potential of strong earthquake,” said Widjo in a sideline discussion regarding the future tsunami mitigation in Indonesia in Yogyakarta, Monday, January 14.
“The runway of NYIA airport only 300 meters away from the coast beach. Scientifically, it will be sunken,” Widjo noted.
Based on the map of earthquake sources in 2017, Indonesia has five megathrusts, such as in Enggano, Sunda Strait, West Java, East Java, and Sunda. The length is above 2,000 kilometers. “The nearest megathrust is West Java and East Java.”
Widjo has made the potential earthquake and tsunami model of NYIA airport since 2013. The potential earthquake and tsunami could be similar to Tohoku or Sendai tsunami in Japan in March 2011 which was the deadliest tsunami of the 21st century.
Therefore, Widjo reminded the government to prepare the mitigation on potential earthquake and tsunami. He claimed to have not yet informed on a study run by Transportation Ministry or state-owned airport operator Angkasa Pura I regarding the potential earthquake and tsunami.
Meanwhile, AP previously claimed that the company had a disaster mitigation system of NYIA construction. AP I Corporate Secretary Israwadi the airport was constructed in a certain height above the sea level based on the study conducted by experts who analyzed the matter in Japan. However, Widjo questioned the expert in question.
SHINTA MAHARANI
