BMKG Records 75 Earthquakes In A Day In Sorong On Sunday December 19 From Morning To Midnight

Archives - Members of the Integrated Task Force evacuate victims of natural disasters during an emergency response simulation at Saoka Beach, Sorong City, West Papua (Photo: Olha Mulalinda/Antara)

JAKARTA - The Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) recorded that as many as 75 earthquakes occurred in the Sorong area, West Papua Province from Sunday (19/12) morning to midnight.

Head of the BMKG Earthquake and Tsunami Center, Bambang S Prayitno, Sunday (19/12) in a release received in Sorong, Monday, said that the largest tectonic earthquake with a magnitude of 5.5 (M) in the region was followed by 75 aftershocks. time.

He explained that based on the results of the BMKG analysis, this earthquake had an updated parameter with a magnitude of 5.3.

The epicenter of the earthquake is located at coordinates 0.58° South Latitude; 131.57° East Longitude, or to be precise, located at sea at a distance of 46 km northeast of Sorong City, West Papua at a depth of 32 km.

The type and mechanism of the earthquake by taking into account the location of the epicenter and the depth of the hypocenter, the earthquake that occurred was a type of shallow earthquake caused by a local fault.

The results of the source mechanism analysis show that the earthquake has a horizontal shear movement mechanism or a strike-slip fault.

The impact of this earthquake was felt in the area of ​​Sorong, IV MMI. When during the day it is felt by many people in the house.

So far, there have been no reports of damage caused by the earthquake. The results of modeling and sea level observations show that the earthquake did not have the potential for a tsunami.

Aftershock earthquakes until Sunday (19/12) 2021 evening showed 75 times of aftershock earthquake activity with a magnitude of M1.9 - M4.9, as told by Bambang S Prayitno.