13 Train Trips Were Forced To Stop During The Sumedang Melanda Earthquake

Direct rail line checks were carried out following the earthquake that occurred in Sumedang Regency, West Java Province, Sunday (31/12/2023) night. (ANTARA/HO KAI Daop 2 Bandung)

PT KAI Operational Area 2 Bandung reported stopping the journey of 13 trains during an earthquake with a magnitude of 4.8 that hit the Sumedang Regency area in West Java Province on December 31, 2023 at 20.34 WIB.

This was stated by the Public Relations Manager of PT KAI Operational Area 2 Bandung Ayep Hanapi who said that the extraordinary stop of the 13 train trips was carried out to ensure the safety of the railway line after the earthquake.

"The quick action is to ensure that there is no damage to either the rail road or the bridge structure in the Daop 2 Bandung area, as well as to anticipate things that could disrupt train travel," Ayep said as quoted in a press release by PT KAI in Bandung, Monday.

Reported by ANTARA, Monday, January 1, the trains whose trips were stopped during the earthquake in Sumedang included KA 127 (Harina), KA 36 (Argo Parahyangan), KA 385 (Commuterline Garut), KA 260 (South Kutojaya), KA 346 (Commuterline Bandung Raya), and KA 357 (Commuterline Bandung Raya).

KA 86 (South Mutiara), KA 388 (Commuterline Garut), KA 7035A (KA additional Surabaya Gubeng-Kiaracondong), KA 94 (Lodaya), KA 66 (Turangga), KA 122 (Malabar), and KA 255 (Serayu) were also dismissed when the earthquake hit Sumedang.

After a thorough check, on Sunday (31/12) at 21.20 WIB all train tracks in the working area of PT KAI Operational Area 2 Bandung were declared safe to pass and the train whose journey had been delayed could continue the journey.

"Daop 2 Bandung apologized for the detention of the several trains for several minutes, because they checked the route to ensure that the train trips were safe and safe," said Ayep.

On Sunday (31/12) at 20.34 WIB there was an earthquake with a magnitude of 4.8 whose center was on land at a depth of 5 km at about 2 km northeast of Sumedang Regency.

According to the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG), the earthquake was felt in Sumedang, Lembang, Subang, Bandung, and Garut areas.

The Sumedang Regency Government said that the earthquake caused severe damage in Tegalsari, Cipamengpeuk, and Babakan Bukit.

According to a report from the Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) of West Java Province, the earthquake affected 14 villages in Sumedang Regency, causing 84 houses to be lightly damaged.

In addition, patients at Sumedang Hospital and Pakuwon Hospital must be evacuated outside the hospital in order to avoid the impact of the earthquake.