Jakarta, domclub Indonesia
—
Zone
megathrust
harbors the shadow of disaster
earthquake
with the potential for devastating damage.What exactly is a megathrust zone?
“Indonesia has a megathrust zone, which is an area where plates meet which store large amounts of energy. If this energy is released, a large earthquake or even a tsunami could occur,” wrote BMKG on its Instagram account, Tuesday (11/11).
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BMKG explains that megathrust is a zone where two tectonic plates meet and one of them slides under the other.This process creates a buildup of energy which could one day be released in the form of a large earthquake or even a tsunami.
BMKG said high alertness was needed because the megathrust segment in the Sunda Strait last produced a large earthquake in 1757. Then, the Mentawai-Siberit segment has not been active since the 1797 earthquake.
This condition is known as a seismic gap, which is an area that geologically holds great potential because it has not released energy for a long time.
“So, even though it hasn’t happened yet, the potential is real and we have to be aware of it,” explained BMKG.
Furthermore, BMKG said that currently there is no technology that can predict the time, location and strength of an earthquake with certainty.
BMKG reminded that the narrative often mentioned when discussing megathrust earthquakes is “it’s just a matter of time.”This is often misinterpreted as an earthquake that will occur in the near future.
Last week, the Head of BMKG highlighted the potential for a serious threat from the megathrust surrounding Indonesia.He said there are a total of three megathrust zones in Indonesia which have the potential to trigger major disasters.
“Our country is at the meeting point of three active plates in the world with 13 megathrust segments, some of which have not yet released their tectonic energy. This means that the potential for a large earthquake is still possible at any time,” said Faisal at the DPR RI Disaster Monitoring Team Meeting at the Parliament Complex, Senayan, Jakarta, Wednesday (5/11), according to the official BMKG website.
Of the dozens of zones, said Faisal, there are three megathrust zones that have not experienced a large earthquake in hundreds of years.The three zones are the Mentawai-Siberut Megathrust, the Sunda Strait-Banten Megathrust, and the Sumba Megathrust.
He explained that the three megathrust zones are currently in the process of accumulating tectonic energy.He then warned that a large earthquake could happen at any time without prediction.
“It is strongly suspected that currently there is a process of accumulation of tectonic energy which could release a large earthquake at any time without being predicted,” he said.
Throughout history, megathrusts have caused some of the world’s largest and most destructive earthquakes and tsunamis.Some prominent examples include the Sunda Megathrust in Indonesia, the Peru-Chile Trench in South America, the Nankai Trench in Japan, and the Cascadia subduction zone in the Pacific Northwest of North America.
(lom/dmi)
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