Sumatra Earthquake Today: According to the US Geological Survey, an intense earthquake of 6.9 magnitude struck in Northern Sumatra this evening. Indonesia also faced an earthquake in the Flores region which has caused 38 casualties so far.
Sumatra Earthquake Today: What Happened?
According to multiple reports, an earthquake of magnitude 6.9 hit roughly 11 kilometres southeast of the Simalungun region in Northern Sumatra, Indonesia, this evening. Tremors of the quake were clearly felt by residents in nearby areas like Tebing Tinggi, Kabanjahe, and Limapuluh as well. It has now become the second major seismic event to happen in Indonesia within 24 hours.
Sumatra Earthquake Today: Cause of the Earthquake
Seismological experts believe that the ocean floor sliding deep beneath the Indonesian island along a major tectonic plate boundary caused the earthquake in Sumatra. The island sits at the convergent boundary of 2 major tectonic belts – the Indo-Australian plate and the Eurasian plate . Indonesia, along with Japan is one of the Asian countries located on the Pacific Ring of Fire & is highly earthquake prone as a result.
Sumatra Earthquake Today: Epicentre of Earthquake
The epicentre of the earthquake has been located in the Simalungun Regency in the province of North Sumatra, Indonesia. 2.97° North latitude and 99.16° East longitude have been specified as the epicentre’s co-ordinates.
The epicentre sat about 40 kilometres southeast of the major city of Pematangsiantar and roughly 110 kilometres southeast of Northern Sumatra’s provincial capital, Medan
Sumatra Earthquake Today: List of Affected Areas
The earthquake in Sumatra has affected the following areas:
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Simalungun regency
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Tebing Tinggi
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Kabanjahe
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Limapuluh
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Medan
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Medah
Reports from local media have suggested that the impact of the quake was also felt in Northern Sumatra’s neighbouring provinces – Aceh and West Sumatra.
Sumatra Earthquake Today: Resident Advisory
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No Tsunami Risk: Indonesia’s Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) has formally stated that no tsunami warnings are in place for Sumatra.
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Before going to sleep or leaving your house, inspect your home & check for any newly formed deep cracks in load-bearing walls, structural pillars, or concrete foundations.
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Avoid standing near balconies, brick fences, or old concrete awnings that could be affected by aftershocks.
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Secure bookshelves, wardrobes, and other pieces of heavy furniture that could fall over during any aftershocks.
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Rely on only the official BMKG smartphone app (InfoBMKG) or their verified channels for all such updates.
These are the details of the earthquake so far. Further details are awaited.
