CILACAP.INFO – Head of Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) Dwikorita Karnawati warned that potential for a megathrust earthquake with a magnitude (M) of 8.7 on south coast of Central Java is not just a prediction.
“We are in an earthquake-prone area of Indonesia, including in Cilacap Regency,” she said after opening Cilacap District Earthquake Field School in 2022 in Cilacap, Wednesday quotes Antaranews.com.
She said Cilacap Regency is located on southern coast of Central Java, which is directly facing plate collision zone between Indian Ocean plate and Eurasian plate.
The plate collision is a megathrust earthquake zone which in worst case scenario, if an earthquake occurs at center of collision, strength reaches M 8.7.
“This is not a prediction, it is not a prediction, it will not necessarily happen. It is not just an analysis of earthquake and tsunami experts by calculating worst possibility,” said Dwikorita.
According to his, worst possibility is reference for mitigation, namely efforts to reduce or control risk.
With good mitigation, in event of an earthquake or tsunami, community is ready, both in terms of infrastructure and skills to save themselves.
“The earthquake could not be prevented, tsunami could not be prevented, but loss of life was prevented. This is goal of Earthquake and Tsunami Field School so that if it happens at any time, God willing, community should be ready and there will be no casualties,” she said.
In this regard, she asked volunteers to disseminate their knowledge to relatives, relatives or surrounding community so that more survivors from earthquake and tsunami could be found.
