Anwar Siswadi, Jakarta – The Geophysics Station of West Java's Bandung Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency, or BMKG Bandung recorded 152 earthquakes hitting West Java throughout February 2024. According to the Geophysics Station Head Teguh Rahayu on Saturday, only a dozen of those earthquakes were felt by people.
Rahayu explained that around 136 earthquakes were considered shallow with depths of less than 60 kilometers. The rest of the quakes were considered medium with depths ranging from 60 to 300 kilometers and strength varied from 1.1 to 5.7 magnitude.
The strongest earthquake occurred on Sunday, Feb. 25 at around 08:07 p.m. local time. Residents in Surade Pelabuhan Ratu, Bayah, Malimping, Cijaku, Cibadak, Labuan, Sawarna, Kelapanunggal, Garut, Tanjung Lesung, Sidareja, Cigeulis, Panimbang, and Bandung felt the quake.
The same quake was also felt in Lembang, Serang, Tangerang, and South Tangerang.
BMKG noted that the earthquake was caused by Indo-Australia plate subduction on the Eurasia plate.
The next week on March 3, West Java experienced another earthquake with 2.9 magnitude at around 09:16 a.m. local time. Garut and Bandung residents felt the quake on III MMI on the intensity scale, akin to trucks passing by.
The epicenter was located 23 kilometers southwestern of Garut Regency with a 5-kilometer depth. "[The earthquake] was caused by local fault activity," said the head of BMKG Tangerang Hartanto in a written statement.