REPUBLIKA.CO.ID,  PADANG -- A 4-magnitude earthquake struck off Sumatra West Coast on Monday (August 20) at 17.25 WIB (Indonesia West Standard Time). According to Metereology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG), the earthquake's epicenter location was at 32 kilometers southeast Pariaman, West Sumatra at the depth of 10 kilometers.

Then, the second earthquake also happened at 17.51 WIB with a magnitude of 5.1 on the Richter Scale. The earthquake's epicenter location was at 18 kilometers from Mount Sitoli, Nias, North Sumatra at a depth of 17 kilometers.

The first earthquake in West Sumatra was felt by people in Padang City and Pesisir Selatan regency. Based on the depth of hypocenter, the earthquake was classified as shallow due to the sea floor faulting activity found between Siberut and the West Coast of West Sumatra. In addition, analysis of the source mechanism shows that the earthquake was triggered by horizontal fault.

Meanwhile, the second earthquake was included in the shallow classification. The earthquake was caused by the Indo-Australian Plate subduction activity down the Eurasian Plate, especially in the Megathrust zone which is a plate subduction zone in the Indian Ocean west of Sumatra.

BMKG summarized that earthquakes felt by residents in the Gunung Sitoli and Sirombu areas in West Nias were on the scale of the intensity of the II-III MMI (Modified Mercalli Intensity). There was no report of the damage caused by the earthquake. In addition, modeling result showed the earthquakes do not have the potential to cause a tsunami.

Ikuti Whatsapp Channel Republika