South Nias Residents Afraid Of Post-Earthquake Tsunami

Illustration/Photo: Antara

JAKARTA - Head of Lolomatua Sub-district, South Nias Regency, North Sumatra Alinudi Laila said the community was still wary of the potential for a tsunami after the M 6.7 earthquake that hit Monday morning. Alinudi said the community felt the earthquake, but there has been no warning or further information. warning whether there is a tsunami or not, that's why we seem nervous, because it hasn't been reported or not immediately. I opened my cellphone (cell phone) there was no notification. We were worried, if we could we would be notified as soon as possible," said Alinudi in an online press conference that was attended by in Jakarta, Monday, March 14. Alinudi also reported that so far there has been no visible damage to buildings around the epicenter. However, it appears that areas near the waters have reported rising water levels. Responding to this, the Head of the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) Technical Seismology Center (BMKG) Rahmat Triyono said that if there was a potential for a tsunami, the BMKG would send it directly via SMS. South Nias did not trigger a tsunami, so the information is only in the form of narratives and earthquake parameters and the epicenter of the earthquake.

"The earthquake that occurred this morning did not have the potential for a tsunami, so it was not conveyed in the SMS that it had the potential for a tsunami or not, so it was only a narrative," he said. On the same occasion, Head of the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) Dwikorita Karnawati said that residents who are close to the epicenter of the earthquake should install the BMKG Info application on their cellphones. In addition, the local government can clarify early warning information to the Gunung Sitoli Geophysical Station. assistance from the Gunungsitoli Regional Government or UPT in the area to intensify information regarding the need to install the BMKG info mobile phone application. SMS is only for limited people, yes, only in affected locations, "said Dwikorita.

The Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) stated that a shallow earthquake with a magnitude of 6.9 rocked South Nias, North Sumatra, on Monday at around 04.09 WIB, due to plate subduction activity.

Head of the BMKG Earthquake and Tsunami Center Bambang Setiyo Prayitno said as of 05.10 WIB, the results of BMKG monitoring showed four aftershock activities with the largest magnitude M6.0.

Bambang said the 6.9 magnitude earthquake rocked the southern coast of South Nias, North Sumatra. The results of the BMKG analysis show that this earthquake has an updated parameter with a magnitude of M6.7. The epicenter of the earthquake is located at coordinates 0.71° South Latitude 98.50° East Longitude or precisely located at sea at a distance of 6 kilometers south of Hibala, South Nias, North Sumatra. , at a depth of 25 km. This earthquake had an impact and was felt in the areas of Padang, Siberut, South Nias, Gunungsitoli with an intensity scale of IV MMI (when many people feel it in the house during the day), Padang Panjang, Bukittinggi, West Pasaman, Tuapejat, Pariaman with an intensity scale of III MMI (feels as if a truck was passing). Then in Dhamasraya, Payakumbuh, Kerinci, South Tapanuli, Pesisir Selatan, Batusangkar, Padang Pariaman, Solok with an intensity scale of II MMI (light objects that are hung sway). "The modeling results show that this earthquake does not have the potential for a tsunami," he said.