BMKG: A Week Of Local Faults In Sigi Triggered 28 Earthquakes

BMKG Office Class I Geophysics Station Palu, Sumur Yuga Street, Balaroa Village, West Palu District, Palu City, Central Sulawesi. (Photo: Rangga Musabar/Antara)

JAKARTA - The Palu Geophysics Station's Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) noted that during the 30 April to 4 May period, 28 earthquakes rocked Sigi Regency, Central Sulawesi.

"Until yesterday there were 28 earthquakes," explained the section head of data and information from Palu BMKG Geophysics, Hendrik Leopatty, as reported by Antara, Thursday, May 6.

The results of Palu BMKG Geophysics analysis showed that the earthquake which was centered in Lawua Village, Kulawi District, was caused by a local fault with a shear fault model.

"It could be due to a fixed block and a shifted block. From the provisional results, it is possible that the block has dropped so that it is called a downward fault," said Hendrik.

28 times the earthquake had varying magnitudes, ranging from 2 to 4.9 magnitude.

Hendrik said, the earthquake shocks still relatively safe. According to him, the energy released by the fault slowly should be grateful.

"We should be grateful for it because it released slowly. If it stored energy and released it at once, the impact could be more dangerous," he explained.

Not only that, according to Hendrik, there is no historical record that caused an earthquake with enough strength to occur in the area. However, several years ago this fault was active with a duration of one week but disappeared again.

Even though it is relatively safe, people are advised to always be vigilant if at any time there is a sufficiently strong earthquake on the earth.

"What is clear is that the community is urged to mitigate independently and not to believe information that cannot be justified," he said.

Data from Palu BMKG Geophysics, currently there are 47 active faults in the Central Sulawesi region. From the tens of faults, one of the faults that emit a large amount of energy is the Palu Koro fault, the moah segment.