earthquake in Banten On Monday (17/1), Banten was rocked again by an earthquake. The Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) said the earthquake that had just occurred had a magnitude of 5.4 with a center 84 kilometers southwest of Bayah, Banten, with a depth of 10 kilometers and no tsunami potential. According to the BMKG, Monday morning's earthquake was also felt in several areas in West Java, such as in Sukabumi, Pelabuhanratu and Bogor regencies. Previously, Irfan Afendi, 35, said residents in Cigorondong Village, Sumur Subdistrict, Pandeglang, had not set an agreed evacuation point until now. The area has been rocked by earthquakes several times. Some residents, including Irfan, have also never attended any counseling related to disaster mitigation. Not only that, Irfan also admitted that he did not know the risk of an earthquake threatening the area and had evacuated himself "based on instinct". Previously, the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) stated that a megathrust earthquake with a magnitude of up to 8.7 on the Richter Scale had the potential to occur in the Sunda Strait area which is feared to have a tremendous impact if not properly mitigated. "I have never received the training, nor did I know about the potential (earthquake) of megathrust (in the Sunda Strait). So far, I have evacuated using instinct," Irfan told BBC News Indonesia, Sunday (16/1). In Ujung Jaya Village, Sumur Sub-district, the dark evacuation route caused panicked residents to collide with one another as they tried to save themselves. According to Anis Sri Rahayu, 28, the panic arose as a result of the intensity of the earthquake when it felt stronger than she had ever felt before. His house was also damaged by the shock. The National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) noted that nearly 1,700 houses in Pandeglang were damaged by the earthquake. However, there were no casualties as a result of the shock. However, seismic expert from the Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB), Irwan Meilano, said the impact of the damage showed that the concept of a "disaster resilient village" launched by the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) was only "just a jargon". Because the earthquake that happened last Friday was of moderate intensity and shouldn't have caused the damage it did. According to him, this shows that the mitigation system has not been able to offset the threat of a megathrust earthquake that may arise. "This is an alarm that is very important for us to understand, that with the new earthquake, it is not too big but the damage is significant, especially if the earthquake (megathrust) is actually coming," said Irwan. In addition, the community's incomplete understanding of risks and how to act when a disaster occurs, it is feared that it could have a very fatal impact if an earthquake that is predicted to be of a greater magnitude actually occurs.
Pada Senin (17/1), Banten pun kembali diguncang gempa. Menurut Badan Meteorologi, Klimatologi, dan Geofisika (BMKG) menyebutkan, gempa yang baru saja terjadi berkekuatan magnitudo 5,4 dengan berpusat di 84 kilometer barat daya Bayah, Banten, dengan kedalaman 10 kilometer dan tidak berpotensi tsunami. Menurut BMKG, gempa Senin pagi tersebut juga dirasakan di beberapa wilayah di Jawa Barat, seperti di Kabupaten Sukabumi, Pelabuhanratu hingga Bogor. Sebelumnya, Irfan Afendi, 35, mengatakan warga di Desa Cigorondong, Kecamatan Sumur, Pandeglang, belum menetapkan titik evakuasi yang disepakati hingga saat ini. Padahal wilayah tersebut telah berulang kali diguncang gempa.
Sebagian warga, termasuk Irfan, juga belum pernah mengikuti penyuluhan apa pun terkait mitigasi bencana. Tak hanya itu, Irfan juga mengaku tidak mengetahui risiko gempa sebesar apa yang mengancam wilayah itu dan selama ini mengevakuasi dirinya "berdasarkan insting".
Sebelumnya, Badan Meterologi Klimatologi dan Geofisika (BMKG) menyatakan bahwa gempa megathrust berkekuatan hingga 8,7 pada Skala Richter berpotensi terjadi di wilayah Selat Sunda yang dikhawatirkan dapat menimbulkan dampak luar biasa jika tidak dimitigasi dengan baik. "Saya belum pernah dapat pelatihan itu, saya juga enggak tahu soal potensi (gempa) megathrust (di Selat Sunda). Selama ini saya evakuasi pakai insting saja," tutur Irfan kepada BBC News Indonesia, Minggu (16/1).
Di Desa Ujung Jaya, Kecamatan Sumur, jalur evakuasi yang gelap membuat warga yang panik bertabrakan satu sama lain ketika mencoba menyelamatkan diri. Menurut Anis Sri Rahayu, 28, kepanikan itu muncul akibat akibat intensitas gempa saat itu terasa lebih kuat dibanding yang pernah dia rasakan sebelumnya. Rumahnya pun rusak akibat guncangan tersebut. Badan Nasional Penanggulangan Bencana (BNPB) mencatat hampir 1.700 rumah di Pandeglang rusak akibat gempa. Namun, tidak ada korban jiwa akibat guncangan tersebut. Meski demikian, pakar kegempaan dari Institut Teknologi Bandung (ITB), Irwan Meilano, mengatakan dampak kerusakan itu menunjukkan bahwa konsep "desa tangguh bencana" yang dicanangkan Badan Nasional Penanggungalangan Bencana (BNPB) baru "sebatas jargon". Sebab, gempa yang terjadi
pada Jumat lalu tergolong berintensitas sedang dan seharusnya tidak menimbulkan kerusakan seperti yang terjadi. Menurut dia, hal ini menunjukkan bahwa sistem mitigasi belum mampu mengimbangi ancaman gempa megathrust yang mungkin muncul. "Itu alarm yang sangat penting untuk kita pahami, bahwa dengan baru gempa yang tidak terlalu besar tapi kerusakannya signifikan, apalagi kalau gempa (megathrust) sesungguhnya yang datang," kata Irwan.
Selain itu, pemahaman masyarakat yang belum utuh terkait risiko dan bagaimana bertindak saat bencana terjadi, dikhawatirkan dapat berdampak sangat fatal apabila gempa yang diprediksi berkekuatan lebih besar itu benar-benar terjadi.
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