JAKARTA, INDONESIA — A 5.6 magnitude tremor jolted the Indonesian capital on Monday afternoon, triggering panic and forcing people to leave their office buildings and homes.
The epicentre of the quake is located 10 km southwest of Cianjur Regency, West Java.
Indonesia’s Meteorology Agency (BMKG) stated that the tremor which occurred at 1.21 PM did not cause a tsunami.
The quake was also felt in Jakarta’s nearby areas: Depok, Bekasi, South Tangerang, and the West Java capital Bandung.
Numerous Jakarta residents went into a state of panic when the quake rattled the capital city.
One of the private employees told TOC that she was having lunch outside when she saw people evacuating from the office buildings.
“It happened only ten seconds. But we got panicked, so we were told to leave office,” she said.
BMKG recorded 37 aftershocks with magnitude ranging from 1.8 to 4.00 as of 4 pm.
Ms Dwikorita estimated that the quake was triggered by the Cimandiri Fault, one of the most active faults with northwest southwest orientation. The fault is believed to have caused several tremors, such as in Cibadak (1973), Gandasoli (1982) and Sukabumi (2001), according to research from the University of Gadjah Mada.
However, she also stated that other faults could be the causes of the quake too. A comprehensive analysis will be necessary to determine the causing factor of the tremor.
The tremor has also damaged more than tens of buildings, including houses and government buildings.
The Sukabumi disaster mitigation body states that at least 52 houses had been damaged by the quake.
The West Java Regional Disaster Mitigation Body (BNPB) has not officially announced the number of fatalities.
At the time of writing this article, Regent of Cianjur, West Java, Herman Suherman stated in a TV interview that there are at least 46 deaths and over 400 were wounded due to the natural disaster.
BNPB stated that its team would visit Cianjur soon to provide logistical support and monitor the latest situation.
Cianjur residents shared on social media, videos and pictures displaying the aftermath of the quake in the hardest-hit area.
“The latest update of the quake in several locations in Cianjur Regency, As seen in the video, some people need urgent medical assistance,” said Twitter account @roundytoop.
Another user stated emotionally that he heard older people and children crying for help.
“I cannot help seeing what’s going on in Cianjur. Elderly people and children are crying for help,” said Twitter user @sigantengleon.
BMKG and BNPB will continue to update the latest development from the quake’s location.
