Series of Aftershocks Still Recorded in West Java's Cianjur

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The series of aftershocks following the earthquake in Cianjur, West Java, is still happening until this Tuesday evening, November 22, 2022. The Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) recorded the latest quake at 18:39 local time with a magnitude of 2.9.

It was at a depth of two kilometers and was centered 11 kilometers southwest of Cianjur Regency. The shaking could be felt in Cianjur on a scale of III MMI.

As of 16:00 local time, the agency reported 140 aftershocks from the 5.6-magnitude main quake which occurred on Monday afternoon, November 21, 2022. “The frequency of events has decreased,” said the agency’s head of the quake and tsunami Center, Daryono, in his Twitter statement today.

Daryono called the main event the Sukabumi-Cianjur earthquake because the center was detected in Sukalarang, Sukabumi. “This is a shallow crustal earthquake triggered by active fault activity in the Cimandiri Fault zone,” he said.

Despite its category, the quake caused huge impacts. Daryono explained that it was due to its shallow depth and building structures that did not resist earthquakes. “And the location of residences on soft soil or local site effect.”

The National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) recorded that the death toll as of Tuesday evening has reached 268, but only 122 have been identified. In addition, 151 people are still being searched. It is also reported that at least 1,083 people were injured and 58,362 people were evacuated.

The BNPB also noted infrastructure damage; 6,570 houses were heavily damaged, 2,071 houses were moderately damaged, and 12,641 houses were lightly damaged. 

MARIA FRANSISCA LAHUR

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