6.2 Richter Scale Earthquake Strikes East Java, Other Indonesian Provinces

KOMPAS.com – A 6.2 Richter scale earthquake has struck the city of Blitar in Indonesia’s East Java province on Friday, May 22. No casualties were reported in the disaster.

The Meteorological, Climatology and Geophysics Agency [BMKG] said the earthquake’s epicenter was 57 kilometers southeast of Blitar at a depth of 110 kilometers.

“The [Blitar] earthquake can be felt in East Java, including the provincial capital Surabaya, and as far as [the provinces] of Central Java, Yogyakarta and Bali,” the agency announced.

“The earthquake can be felt as far afield as the western end of Lombok Island in West Nusa Tenggara Province.”

Also read: Earthquake in West Sumatra, Indonesia Triggers Mass Warning, Causes Mass Panic

BMKG Earthquake and Tsunami Center head Rahmat Triyono said the earthquake was of moderate strength. “The earthquake is tectonic in nature, and was caused by friction between the Indo-Australian and Eurasian plates,” he said.

Active Tectonics, Geology and Earthquakes expert Gayatri Indah Marliyani from Gadjah Mada University’s Center for Disaster Studies backed the BMKG’s finds.

She added that the earthquake’s depth and substantial magnitude caused the phenomena and the following aftershocks to be felt across a wide area.

“In Yogyakarta, the earthquake can be felt for 10 seconds. In East Java, the earthquake damaged a number of buildings,” Gayatri asserted.

“There are concerns that the earthquake’s aftershocks can weaken the building’s foundation.”

Also read: Earthquake At Indonesia's East Java Province Kills Eight, Injures 25

The BMKG’s Rahmat assured that the earthquake will not cause a tsunami. “However, the scale of the earthquake is strong enough to shake walls and rattle windows as well as doors. The BMKG also detected two aftershocks measuring 3.1 and 2.9 Richter scales,” he asserted. '

“I urge the public to remain calm and not be influenced by unsubstantiated rumors. I also suggest avoiding buildings with cracked [foundations] or other damages,” Rahmat noted.

“The public should also secure their homes against earthquakes, or ensure that the tremors will not undermine the home’s foundations before moving back in.”

Indonesia is located in the Ring of Fire, an area in the Indo-Pacific region that is vulnerable to earthquakes, volcanoes and other military disasters.

(Writer: Bestari Kumala Dewi, | Ellyvon Pranita, Holy Kartika Nurwigati Sumartiningtyas)

Sources: 

https://www.kompas.com/sains/read/2021/05/21/211238423/gempa-blitar-terasa-hingga-surabaya-dan-bali-pakar-jelaskan-sebabnya?page=all#page2. 

https://www.kompas.com/sains/read/2021/05/21/203800623/gempa-blitar-m-6-2-sudah-2-kali-susulan-ini-daftar-wilayah-terdampak?page=all#page2.