Destroyed homes and debris. Image via MetroTVNews
Brilio.net/en - After being hit by a devastating 7.8 magnitude earthquake back in March, Indonesia suffered once again from another quake in the same region in early June. It carried a magnitude of 6.5 on the richter scale. The tremor came from 72 kilometers below sea level, close to the Southern Shore Regency of West Sumatra. The epicenter was 79 kilometers from the cities of Padang and Sungaipenuh. Tremors also reached the west coast of Singapore.
18 people were reportedly injured due to the abrupt collapse of buildings and flying debris. Unfortunately, the earthquake claimed the life of an 80-year-old man named Awaludin, who suffered a heart attack amidst the chaos.
The quake disturbed sleeping residents at 5:56 am, spreading panic throughout the community. Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, head of data and information at Indonesias National Board for Disaster Management, declared that out of the 2,663 affected homes and buildings, 726 took heavy damage, while the rest only suffered minor damage.
Over 100 evacuated people believed the earthquake would continue once they returned home. For this reason, residents were moved to another nearby city, Sutopo told MetroTVNews. Although the disaster could have caused an equally devastating tsunami, no warnings were issued after the initial tremors. The incident raises questions about whether Indonesias would be adequately prepared for another large-scale disaster on the west coast of Sumatra.
Sutopo explained the main reason that so many homes and buildings were damaged is the regions lack of anti-quake construction. Most of the destroyed houses did not have basic support structures to protect them in the event of an earthquake. Proper safety codes, earthquake hazard maps, and disaster-risk guidelines were not taken into account when constructing the buildings, he said, thus the devastation should not come as a surprise.
Image via Kompas
He added, Many actions and plans should be implemented that will require the participation of communities to avoid unnecessary losses in the future. There are many places in the surrounding areas that are vulnerable to earthquakes.
This incident sparks memory of Indonesias major tsunami 12 years ago in Aceh. The disaster claimed at least 230,000 lives. ** This incident serves as a reminder that Indonesia, especially in its coastal areas, aligns with the Pacific Oceans Ring of Fire, a zone that is full of underwater volcanic activity, and highly prone to earthquakes.
(** And while this time around there wasnt nearly a disaster of that scale, tragedy still struck the tourist hub of Bali, where the waves have been enormous due to the quake and caused an abrupt and tragic ending for two holiday goers.)
Author: Tommy Young via Content Collision
(brl/red)
