Geological Agency: There Is No Impact Of Land Rail From The Bandung Earthquake

Map of the epicenter with a magnitude of 5.0 in Bandung Regency, West Java, on Wednesday (18/9/2024). (ANTARA/HO-Badan Geology)

JAKARTA - The Geological Agency of the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources stated that there were no follow-up impacts such as land cracks in West Java and its surroundings after being rocked by a 5 magnitude shallow earthquake.

"It does not have the potential to cause surface faults and follow-up hazards in the form of soil cracks, land subsidence, soil movement and liquefaction," said Head of the Geological Agency M. Wafid in a statement quoted by ANTARA, Wednesday, September 18.

Wafid also revealed that the earthquake did not have the potential to cause a tsunami because the epicenter was on land.

However, the people of West Java and its surroundings were asked to remain vigilant because based on data from the Geological Agency, most areas that felt the shock of this earthquake were located in the Disaster Prone Area (KRB) for earthquakes of the medium to high class.

As reported by the West Java Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD), the earthquake caused damage to houses in Cipembang, Cibeureum, Tarunajaya, Bandung Regency, and in Garut Regency.

Wafid explained that the location of the epicenter of the earthquake was generally composed by turbulent mainland morphologies and bumpy to steep hills.

The Geological Agency team classified the area around the epicenter of the earthquake generally arranged with quarted rocks (sediments and volcanic rocks).

Some of the rock quarters, he said, were observed to have experienced weathering so that they were easily leparated, decomposed unconsolidated and strengthened the effects of earthquake shocks.

"For residents whose houses have been damaged, it is hoped that they will evacuate to a safe place in accordance with the directions of the local BPBD officers," he said.

Previously, the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) reported that the epicenter of the earthquake was located on land at a depth of 10 kilometers with coordinates 7.19 LS.107.67 East Longitude or 24 kilometers from the Southeast of Bandung Regency which was triggered by the activity of the Garcela Fault.

BMKG confirmed that based on community reports at 09.41 WIB, this earthquake was felt for a while in a number of areas in West Java starting from Banjaran (III MMI), Lembang (II-III), Parompong (II-III MMI), West Bandung Regency (II-III MMI), Baleendah (II-III MMI), Garut (II-III MMI), Majalaya (III-IV MMI).

BMKG recorded five aftershock activities as of 10.10 WIB.