Bogor Regent Asks Residents Of Mount Salak's Foot To Be Alert After 2 Earthquakes

DOCUMENTATION/A number of farmers work on Palawija agricultural land with the background of Mount Salak in Ciherang Village, Dramaga, Bogor Regency, West Java, Monday (18/4/2016). (ANTARA PHOTO/Arif Firmansyah)

Bogor Regent Iwan Setiawan appealed to residents around the foot of Mount Salak to increase their vigilance after the earthquake was twice rocked by natural disasters in the past week.

"We ask and urge people whose houses are located at the foot of the mountain to be vigilant," said Iwan as quoted by ANTARA, Thursday, December 14.

According to Iwan, the warning also applies to people living at the foot of Mount Gede Pangrango, because Bogor Regency is flanked by the two mountains.

In addition to warning the public, he also instructed the Bogor Regency Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) to make optimal disaster mitigation efforts.

"If, for example, it happens that we already have education and training for prevention from BPBD, we will also hold special meetings," said Iwan.

The Bogor Regency BPBD will also conduct a study on which areas in the district are included in the base line of Mount Salak and are prone to earthquakes.

The first earthquake natural disaster occurred in the early hours of Friday (8/12) in Purwabakti Village, Pamijahan, Bogor Regency, which damaged 77 houses and two places of worship.

Then, on Thursday (14/12) morning, another earthquake measuring 4.6 magnitudes centered in Sukabumi Regency. This earthquake, based on temporary data from the Bogor Regency Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD), damaged 61 houses.

Dozens of houses affected by the earthquake were spread across four sub-districts, namely Pamijahan, Luewiliang, Nanggung, and Ciampea.

Until now, the Bogor Regency BPBD is still conducting a rapid assessment of the impact of the earthquake that occurred on Thursday (14/12) that morning.

Previously, the Head of the Disaster Data, Information and Communication Center of the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) Abdul Muhari reported that an earthquake with a magnitude (M) of 4.6 rocked the Sukabumi Regency, which occurred on Thursday (14/12) at 06.35 WIB.

BMKG noted that the epicenter of the earthquake was on land 25 kilometers northwest of Sukabumi Regency with a depth of 5 kilometers.

The locations affected by the earthquake in Bogor Regency are Pamijahan, Leuwiliang, Nanggung, and Ciampea Districts. Furthermore, the locations affected by the earthquake in Sukabumi Regency are Kabandungan, Kalapanunggal, Kadudampi, and Cikembar sub-districts.