Unesa.ac.id, SURABAYA--An earthquake with a magnitude of 6.4 that rocked Tuban Regency and its surroundings last Friday caused damage to around 700 buildings and houses. The earthquake also triggered panic among most residents of the East Java region, especially the northern region.
This is because after two large earthquakes occurred, it was followed by 32 aftershocks. In fact, the vibrations of this earthquake could be felt as far away as Banjarmasin.
The earthquake which occurred at sea with an epicenter of 5.74 South Latitude and 112.32 East Longitude with a depth of 10 km attracted the attention of a physics lecturer at the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences (FMIPA) UNESA, Muhammad Nurul Fahmi, S.Si., M.Si.
According to a lecturer and earthquake researcher in the area, the earthquake that occurred at that point with a shallow depth of around 10 kilometers below the ground surface had the potential to cause significant damage , because the rocks in this area are easily deformed or brittle.
"Even though most of the earthquakes in northern Java were caused by the interaction of the Indo-Australian and Eurasian plates, the depth of this earthquake indicates the possibility of a fault beneath the northern region of the Java Sea," he said.
This condition demands attention because shallow earthquakes and near residential areas can cause significant damage. Therefore, further studies are needed to understand more deeply the tectonic setting in the region in order to reduce the risk of disasters in the future.
In his research with the team published in 2023 entitled "Vulnerability in the northern Java region in association with earthquake sources of tectonic origin", the b-value parameter in the region reflects the level of tectonic stress experienced by a region, especially the north of Java Island.
The research carried out is part of the Earth Physics Scientific Field Group (RBK) of the study program This emphasizes the "relatively high-stress tectonic regime" which indicates the existence of a high level of stress in the tectonic regime in the northern region of Java Island.
"We use this parameter where the lower the b-value, the higher stress level in the region, which indicates the potential for large earthquakes in the future," he explained.
The research results show that the lowest value in b-value is around 0.8, which was found for Zone 2 (Java Central) and 3 (East Java). This indicates the presence of high tectonic regime pressure and the potential for significant energy release in the future.
Therefore, as a mitigation effort, he emphasized that the public must have in-depth knowledge regarding earthquake and tsunami disaster mitigation. This is important so that when an earthquake occurs in the future, they can reduce the risk and minimize loss of life.
Apart from that, further research needs to be carried out regarding the characteristics of active faults in the north of Java Island. It is also necessary to develop more accurate early warning technology for earthquakes and tsunamis to increase public awareness and preparedness in facing the threat of these earth disasters. []
***
Reporter: Mohammad Dian Purnama
Editor: @zam*
Photo: MBKG Earthquake Graphic
Share It On:
