Earthquake rattles Sukabumi, no tsunami threat

Jakarta, InfoPublik – Earthquake that rattled the south of West Java was centered at 179 kilometers of Sukabumi city on Monday (6/12) at 06:15 am local time.

The epicenter of the 6.3 Richter scale tectonic earthquake was at 8.36 degrees south latitude and 106.18 degrees east longitude at a depth of 10 kilometers. The Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) said the earthquake did not have a tsunami threat.

BMKG’s further analysis showed that it had a magnitude of 5.7 with a depth of 43 kilometers.

"The BMKG’s shock level map shows that the quake rattles Bogor, Sukabumi, Pengalengan, Pelabuhan Ratu, and Lebak at the intensity level of II SIG BMKG [III Modified Mercalli Intensity]. It means it was felt by many, but was not damaging. The earthquake rattle Jakarta, Depok, and Bekasi with a smaller intensity of I SIG-BMKG [II MMI]," said BMKG head Mochamad Riyadi in an official statement, Monday (6/12).

The quake was caused by a fault activity on the seabed near the Indo-Australian Plate subduction zone toward the Eurasian Plate. It corresponded to the source mechanism result in which the quake triggered the fault in the horizontal direction.

"Although it occurs in the ocean, the modeling shows no tsunami threat," he said. “Residents along the coast of West Java and surrounding areas are advised to remain calm.”

Meanwhile, the National Agency for Disaster Mitigation’s (BNPB) center for information, data, and public relations head Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said that the agency has informed the impacts of the quake to several local disaster mitigation agency (BPBD). It was reported that the quake was felt in several areas namely, Sukabumi City, Sukabumi Regency, Bogor City, Bogor Regency, Bandung City, Bandung Regency, Jakarta, Cianjur, Bekasi, Depok, and Garut.

"BPBD is still monitoring the areas. People are advised to remain calm," he said. (Translator: Wilda Stiana)