The cause of occurrence of 7.6 magnitude earthquake in Aceh

REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA - Head of Data, Information, and Public Relations of the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB), Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, explaining that the earthquake that occurred in the Southwest of Meulaboh, Aceh, on Wednesday (11 / 1) morning due to the earthquake from the fault sliding. "The mechanism of the earthquake last night, the shear faults that are not potentially tsunami and the distance from the meeting zone plate, which is about 100 kilometers," he said via short messages, such as the written page Reuters on Wednesday.

 This earthquake measuring 7.6 on the Richter Scale (SR) with a depth of 10 kilometers Southwest of Meulaboh, he said, unlike any other earthquake in Sumatra. The quake occurred in the oceanic plate, namely the Australian plate, before the plate is plunged Eurasian Plate (Sumatra) close to the outer-rise. "So the earthquake last night did not happen at the meeting zone plate, as most earthquake occurred in Sumatra."

 Sutopo explained that this earthquake occurred, because when trying to enter the oceanic plate under the continental plate, there are post-seismic activity the opposite direction. Thus, there is accumulation of strain near the trough of the sea. This accumulation produces an earthquake fault and shear.

 He said that this earthquake will be followed by several aftershocks with magnitude smaller and less likely to be followed once a major quake. Some earthquakes of this type have occurred in areas close to the earthquake this morning, by a mechanism which is also similar.

 Meulaboh feel the vibrations are strong enough, however, continued Sutopo, there were no reports of damage or casualties occurred. Banda Aceh was calm. "Until now there has been no reports of casualties and property damage. BNPB Rapid Response Team and Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) continues to collect data on the impact of the earthquake. Shakemap Map can be accessed at www.bnpb.go.id."

 Editors: Dewi Mardiani