4.8 M Earthquake Jolts Yogyakarta Today

TEMPO.CO, Yogyakarta - An earthquake measuring 4.8 magnitudes on the Richter scale jolted Yogyakarta today at 12:47 local time. Residents in Gunungkidul Regency claimed they strongly felt the tremor.

“The quake’s tremor is pretty strong this time. Desks were shaking badly,” said Hidayat, a resident of Wonosari Gunungkidul. However, he claimed houses in his village did not shake, but only the furniture.

Head of Sleman Geophysics Station Ikhsan reported that the tectonic quake was centered in the sea at 78 kilometers southwest of Pacitan Regency, East Java, or precisely at 8.87 degrees south latitude and 110.97 degrees east longitude and at a depth of 55 kilometers. 

Ikhsan said it was a shallow quake. “It is triggered by the subduction activity of the Eurasian Plate against the Indo-Australian Plate in southern Java.”

The tremor was felt in Pacitan, Wonogiri, and Trenggalek at the level III of MMI scale. “The vibration is felt inside the house as if a truck is passing,” he added.

The tremor in Yogyakarta city was detected weaker at level II of the MMI scale. “There was an aftershock at 12:40 local time,” Ikhsan informed.

People are appealed to stay calm and not influenced by baseless information. “Avoid cracked or damaged buildings caused by the earthquake. Check and make sure the residential buildings are quake-resistant enough and no damage due to the shaking before returning to the house.”

Read: Yogyakarta Asks Central Govt to Revise Travel Requirements

PRIBADI WICAKSONO