7 Villages Affected By The Tojo Una-Una Earthquake, Central Sulawesi, Residents Refuge In The Highlands

JAKARTA - Seven villages or sub-districts in Tojo Una-Una Regency, Central Sulawesi, were affected by an earthquake with a magnitude of 5.8.

"Based on a quick assessment, temporary data from the local Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) at 14.20 WIB, the affected areas are spread across seven villages or sub-districts in three sub-districts, namely Pusungi Village in Ampana Tete District, Uentanaga Atas Village, Muara Toba and Dondo Barat in District Ratolindo and Bailo, Ampana and Labiabae Villages in Ampana Kota District," said Abdul Muhari, Acting Head of the Disaster Data, Information and Communication Center of the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB).

Abdul said from the data, it was recorded that a total of 21 houses were damaged, with details of two houses being heavily damaged, one being moderately damaged and 18 being lightly damaged.

Damage also occurred to public facilities in the form of a hospital which was slightly damaged and one mosque was slightly damaged.

Previously, it was also informed that one resident died as a result of being crushed by a collapsed building.

Then as many as 500 residents of Tojo Una-Una Regency are still temporarily displaced in the highlands to avoid the impact of aftershocks.

Abdul explained that from an analysis of geological conditions, the Tojo Una-Una area consists of undulating to steep hills, valleys and coastal plains.

While the Ampana District area, this area is a coastal plain composed of quaternary deposits.

"According to the analysis from the Center for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (PVMBG), the geological composition of the mainland Tojo Una-Una undergoes a natural weathering process that is decomposed, soft, loose, not yet compact. This condition will worsen in the event of an earthquake," he said.

He also said another potential that could occur is the existence of landslides or landslides due to strong shaking in the area, or triggered by heavy rainfall. According to PVMBG, looking at the location and depth of the earthquake's epicenter, this morning's earthquake was associated with active fault activity around the location of the epicenter.

Previously, the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) reported that an earthquake with a magnitude (M) of 5.8 on Thursday morning occurred at a depth of 10 km and centered 44 km northwest of Tojo Una-Una Regency, Central Sulawesi.

From the BMKG analysis, the Modified Mercalli Intensity (MMI) scale, the earthquake strength in the Ampana region was at IV – V MMI, Poso IV MMI, Morowali III MMI, East Luwu and Parigi Moutong II – III MMI, Palu, Toli-Toli and Buol II MMI .