Throughout 2020, Papua Shaken By Earthquake A Thousand More Times

Illustration - Earthquake (Ilham Amin / VOI)

JAKARTA - BMKG Sorong recorded that there have been 1,040 earthquakes in West Papua Province throughout 2020.

Reported by Antara, Wednesday, January 20, Head of BMKG UPT Puncak Rafidin Sorong, Rully Hermawan in Sorong, Wednesday said that his party recorded 1,040 earthquakes that occurred in 2020.

According to him, 27 earthquakes were recorded with the most frequent intensity in September with an average of about three to four magnitudes.

He explained that the Sorong area of West Papua is included in the ring fire area because it is crossed by three large plates, namely the tectonic plate, namely the Pacific plate, Indo-Australian plate, and Eurasian plate.

In addition, he said, the West Papua region has the Cesar Sorong route which is in line with the Palu and Majene earthquakes.

It is said that a large earthquake measuring 6 on the Richter scale occurred in Sorong on 26 September 2015 with the epicenter on the Kasuari cape.

Not only Sorong, it was also recorded that a tsunami had occurred in Ransiki Manokwari in 2009 with an earthquake magnitude of 7.9 on the Richter scale.

"With this fact and responding to the disaster situation in Indonesia, we must remain vigilant but not panic," he said.