BMKG Responds to Mysterious Rumbles in Jakarta: No Seismic Activity

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) Head of Earthquake and Tsunami Mitigation, Daryono, asserted that mysterious loud rumbles heard in Jakarta last night, September 20, did not come from an earthquake.

According to him, a very shallow quake might indeed produce a booming sound. However, his side did not detect any seismic activity when the mysterious booms were heard in Jakarta at around 7 to 9 p.m.

“When people reported booming sounds last night, BMKG did not record any seismic activity in Jakarta and its surrounding areas,” said Daryono in a written statement on Monday, September 21, 2020.

The agency referred to the monitoring results of quake sensors installed around the capital city areas, namely in Citeko of Bogor and Pondok Aren of South Tangerang.

Due to this reason, Daryono confirmed that the mysterious rumbles heard by residents in South Jakarta and parts of East Jakarta did not come from earthquakes. He suspected that it was caused by thunder. Besides, his side discovered lightning activities around Mount Salak areas in Bogor between 7 to 9 p.m. last night.

“So that the rumbling sound did not come from an earthquake, but there is an allegation that it came from lightning,” Daryono explained.

Read also: BMKG to Observe Zero Shadow Days in West Sumatra

LANI DIANA WIJAYA