Bengkulu Rocked By Hundreds Of Earthquakes In 7 Months, 6.0 Magnitude Largest Damaged Hundreds Of Houses

BMKG officers from the Kepahiang Geophysics Station when showing the location of the earthquake in the Bengkulu area, Friday (8/8/2025). ANTARA/Anggi Mayasari

BENGKULU - The Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) of the Kepahiang Geophysics Station noted that 332 earthquakes had occurred in the Bengkulu Province from January to today, Friday, August 8, 2025.

"Total gempa bumi di wilayah Provinsi Bengkulu hingga hari ini ada 332 gempa," kata Pengamat Meteorologi dan Geofisika (PMG) Pertama, Yoki Gustiawan, di Kota Bengkulu, Antara, Jumat, 8 Agustus.

Yoki explained that the strength of the recorded earthquakes varied, ranging from magnitudes 1.0 to 6.0. The most frequent earthquakes occurred in several areas, such as Enggano Island, Seluma Regency, South Bengkulu, and Kaur Regency.

The BMKG appealed to the people of Bengkulu to remain alert to potential earthquakes and understand disaster mitigation measures. The public is also asked to always be ready to evacuate if at any time they feel an earthquake and do not easily believe in information that cannot be accounted for.

One of the biggest earthquakes this year occurred on Friday, May 23, 2025 at 02.53 WIB. The 6.0 magnitude earthquake occurred due to deformation under the earth's crust or intraslab activity and was felt in almost all areas of Bengkulu Province.

"This earthquake was caused by intraslab or deformation activity under the earth's crust. After these earthquakes were felt in almost all Bengkulu provinces with an MMI scale of three to six," said Prime Minister Muhammad Najib.

As a result of the earthquake, 248 houses were affected and 20 of them were severely damaged. In addition, a number of public facilities in the cities of Bengkulu and Central Bengkulu were also damaged.

Sekretaris BPBD Provinsi Bengkulu, Kharistian Hermansyah menyebutkan, di Kota Bengkulu kerusakan meliputi dua sekolah, dua masjid, dua kantor camat, beberapa fasilitas umum, serta 192 rumah warga.

Sementara itu, di Kabupaten Bengkulu Tengah, enam bangunan dilaporkan rusak, termasuk satu unit PAUD, dua unit SD, dan satu unit SMK di Desa Nakau dan Desa Pondok Kubang.

Secretary of BPBD Bengkulu Province, Kharistian Hermansyah said, in Bengkulu City the damage included two schools, two mosques, two sub-district offices, several public facilities, and 192 residents' houses.

Meanwhile, in Central Bengkulu Regency, six buildings were reported damaged, including one PAUD unit, two elementary school units, and one SMK unit in Nanau Village and Pondok Kubang Village.