Earthquake Hits Sukabumi; Tremor Reaches Bogor, Jakarta

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The tremor from a 5.0 earthquake that jolted Sukabumi, West Java today, March 10, at 5:18 p.m. local times reportedly reached Bogor and Jakarta areas.

Bogor Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD) secretary Budi Pranowo said the strongest tremor was felt in southern regions of Bogor Regency. “Because of the quake’s epicenter that is in southern Sukabumi,” said Budi on Tuesday, March 10.

According to Budi, several people in the western regions could also felt the tremor, especially those in Leuwiliang and Pamijahan sub-district.

As earlier reported, the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) recorded that a 4.9 magnitude quake–an updated measurement–was centered in lands precisely at 6.81 degrees south latitude and 106.66 degrees east longitude or 23 kilometers northeast of Pelabuhan Ratu, Sukabumi Regency.

The quake that was at a depth of 10 kilometers did not have the potential to trigger a tsunami.

The BMKG head of earthquake and tsunami Rahmat Triyono explained it was a shallow one caused by local fault activities. “Based on the mechanism analysis, the quake is generated by horizontal fault activity (strike-slip fault),” said Rahmat.

Meanwhile, Sukabumi Disaster Mitigation Agency official Daeng Sutisna said the earthquake destroyed several buildings across the regency, including Kalapanunggal and Prakansalak. The BPBD staffers, he added, were still calculating the damages.

BMKG further appealed to the public to remain calm and not be influenced by baseless information, as well as avoid cracked or damaged buildings.

ANTARA | ZACHARIAS WURAGIL | ADITYA BUDIMAN