Bandung, West Java (ANTARA) - The Geological Agency of the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) conducted a further study on the active fault causing the 5.0M earthquake in Bandung District, West Java, on September 18.

The study was conducted with the Faculty of Geological Engineering of Padjajaran University (Unpad).

Head of the Geological Survey Center of the Geological Agency Edy Slameto stated that the study aims to determine the characteristics of the active fault in the area and to mitigate potential earthquakes in the future.

"Hopefully, the results of the study can be useful for the community," Slameto stated on Friday.

Slameto said his side continues to map active faults, including the one in the Kertasari area.

"Currently, we are conducting active mapping at the district and city level, such as in Sukabumi, Cianjur, Garut, Bandung District, West Bandung, Sleman District, Bantul District, and Surabaya City," he remarked.

He noted that mapping is one of the efforts to mitigate and reduce impacts caused by future earthquakes and create better preparedness in the community.

"Indonesia's geological location is at the meeting point of three active tectonic plates and is prone to earthquakes. Therefore, earthquake mitigation must be carried out consistently and sustainably," Slameto pointed out.

Earlier, the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) stated that an unmapped active fault triggered the shallow earthquake in Bandung District.

"At first, the earthquake was detected to come from the Garsela Fault. After the mapping and aftershock data were gathered, the earthquake occurred from an unmapped fault," Head of the BNPB Disaster Data, Information, and Communication Center Abdul Muhari stated.

He remarked that the Bandung earthquake was not caused by the two segments of the Garsela Fault nor the Lembang Fault.

"There are two segments of the Garsela Fault. The distribution of the first earthquake and its aftershocks is neither from the Garsela Fault nor the Lembang Fault," he said.

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Translator: Rubby Jovan P, Resinta Sulistiyandari
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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