Jakarta (ANTARA) - The National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) found numerous large active faults with strengths of above 6.5 magnitude surrounding Sumedang District, West Java Province.

"Sumedang District is located among the large active faults that we have studied deeply," BRIN's earthquake researcher, Mudrik Rahmawan Daryono, stated in a webinar discussing the Sumedang Earthquake that was monitored from Jakarta on Thursday.

Daryono remarked that these large active faults are located in important cities, such as Cirebon, Bandung, Jakarta, Karawang, and Indramayu.

According to the researcher, these vital cities store energy in the form of earthquake swarms and foreshocks.

He noted that the large faults flanking Sumedang are the Baribis Fault Tampomas Segment on the north side, the Baribis Fault Ciremai Segment on the east side, the Lembang Fault on the west side, and the Cileunyi Tanjungsari Fault and the Garsela Fault on the south side.

The Baribis Fault, stretching from Surabaya to around Jakarta, has a strength of up to 7 magnitude; the Lembang Fault, with a magnitude of 7; the Tampomas Fault of magnitude of 6.7; the Ciremai 1 Fault having a magnitude of 6.6; and the Ciremai 2 Fault, with a magnitude of up to 6.9, he remarked.

Daryono pressed for the need to conduct further studies on the existence of these large faults in order to adapt and mitigate potential earthquakes in the future.

He noted that in 1847, an earthquake had occurred in the Tampomas segment. His side has conducted a detailed morphological survey using drones to study the impact of that earthquake.

Daryono remarked that drone data shows a tear from an active fault that causes a shift of around four meters that he believes could cause a 7.0-magnitude earthquake.

"On that side, there are strong indications that a M7 earthquake occurred," he remarked.

He then reminded the community to prepare for the worst possibility by mitigating the threat of earthquakes in future.

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Translator: Sugiharto Purnama, Resinta Sulistiyandari
Editor: Arie Novarina
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