Earthquake M 5.8 South Pagai Island Feels Strong In Mentawai, This Explains BMKG

Illustration / BMKG

JAKARTA - Residents of Mentawai Islands Regency, West Sumatra felt the strong shock of an earthquake with a magnitude of 5.8. There have been no reports of damage or casualties due to the earthquake this afternoon.

Head of the BNPB Disaster Data, Information and Communication Center, Raditya Jati, said residents from several villages reported feeling strong shocks when the earthquake occurred to the Mentawai Islands BPBD. Information from residents of Sinaka and Malakopak Villages in Pagai Selatan Subdistrict and Taikako Village in Sikakap District, the earthquake was felt strongly by residents.

The local BPBD will immediately coordinate with sub-district and village officials to get the latest information after the earthquake. He also appealed to people who were on the lips of monitoring to stay away from him and carry out independent evacuations to a safe place.

Meanwhile, in Mukomuko District, Bengkulu Province, the community felt strong shocks of 3 to 4 seconds. The people there panicked and left the house.

BMKG released information on two tectonic earthquakes with a magnitude above M5.0 that occurred 16 minutes apart in the South Pagai region, Mentawai Islands, this. The second earthquake occurred at 14.47 WIB with a strength of M5.7.

The epicenter is located in the sea at a distance of about 33 km southwest of Pagai Selatan Island, Mentawai Islands, West Sumatra, at a depth of 13 km and 17 km.

Head of the Earthquake and Tsunami Center of BMKG Rahmat Triyono said that through analysis of the location of the epicenter and the depth of the hypocenter, the earthquake that occurred was a type of shallow earthquake due to plate subduction activity in South Pagai, Mentawai Islands.

"The analysis of the source mechanism shows that this earthquake has a thrust fault mechanism," said Triyono, Monday, October 19.

BMKG also released an analysis based on the scale of the intensity of shocks as measured by MMI units, that these two earthquakes were felt in the areas of Padang, Painan, Mentawai, Mukomuko II-III MMI, Bengkulu City, Kepahiang, North Bengkulu I-II MMI. The modeling results show that this earthquake has no potential for a tsunami.

BMKG is monitoring earthquakes that have occurred 9 times with magnitudes above M5.0 in South Pagai until 14:47 WIB.

The Operational Control Center for the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) monitors and coordinates with BPBD whose residents feel earthquake shocks.

Based on InaRISK's analysis, the Mentawai Islands Regency has a moderate to high potential for earthquake and tsunami hazard. There are 10 sub-districts in this district that are in danger of an earthquake and tsunami.