BMKG Disaster Map: Tasikmalaya Is The Most Threatened Area By Megathrust Tsunami, Next Is Garut

Meteorology and Geophysics Observer (PMG) Bandung Geophysics Station Sandy Nur Eko shows a tsunami threat map at Cipatujah Beach, Tasikmalaya (Via ANTARA)

BANDUNG - The Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) has mapped the area at risk of being hit by the highest tsunami waves due to a megathrust or subduction zone on the south coast of West Java, namely the Tasikmalaya Regency.

Meteorology and Geophysics Observer (PMG) Bandung Geophysics Station Sandy Nur Eko said there was a threat of a tsunami wave as high as 23 meters if a megathrust earthquake occurred, especially at Cipatujah Beach.

"Cipatujah Beach, Tasikmalaya, the maximum height of a tsunami that will strike if an earthquake occurs in the megathrust zone is 23 meters, with an arrival time of about 15 minutes", Sandy said in an online seminar held by BMKG Bandung, West Java, Antara, Monday, March 21.

He said the earthquake strength that had been mapped was predicted to have a magnitude of 8.7 either in the Sunda Strait subduction zone or south of West Java.

As for the mapping that has been done, namely for five districts that have a south coast, namely from Sukabumi, Cianjur, Garut, Tasikmalaya, and Pangandaran regencies.

Besides Tasikmalaya, according to him, the Pamengpeuk sub-district, Garut, is also at risk of being hit by a tsunami as high as 18 meters if a megathrust earthquake occurs. More or less, he said, the tsunami would reach the shore in 15 minutes since the earthquake occurred.

Then Pelabuhan Ratu Beach, Sukabumi Regency, is threatened by waves as high as 18 meters in about 18 minutes to the coast after the earthquake.

Meanwhile, Pangandaran Beach is predicted to be hit by a tsunami within 36 minutes after the megathrust earthquake with a wave threat of 15 meters high.

That way, according to him, the southern coast of West Java has about 10 to 30 minutes to respond quickly to community mitigation to avoid its impacts.

According to him, the time calculation needs to be assumed with the prediction of the arrival time of the waves minus the warning time issued before the tsunami.

"So it can be said that West Java is very vulnerable because it is dealing directly with subduction in the south of Java", he said.