Potential Tsunami in Indonesia Tend to Rise

Bagus Kurniawan
Yogyakarta - Potential earthquake and tsunami in some coastal areas tends to increase Indonesia. This was indicated by the close distance of one another tsunami tsunami in recent years. It was revealed Dr Rahman Hidayat, a tsunami researcher at the Research Center for Coastal Dynamics (BPDP), Agency for Assessment and Application of Technology (BPPT), told reporters at Jalan Grafika, Yogyakarta, Friday (21/9/2007).

"The distance is getting shorter and the propensity nearly every year happen. Before the tsunami in Indonesia occurred on average 2.4 years," he said.

According to him, it caused a few points, especially in tsunami-prone coastal areas of western Indonesia entered a period of test. Test period with a span of tens to hundreds of years it will fall in the adjacent time.

These problems also have to be reminded by a tsunami researcher, Lorry Humbold University Dongler from the United States (U.S.) who conducted the study some time ago in Indonesia. He warned there was potential for increasing trend.

"At that time, he reminded Indonesia will enter the harvest of the earthquake and tsunami, not only can predict exactly when it happened," Rahman said Lorry imitating speech.

According to him, one point to watch out for is the area southwest coast of Sumatra, Mentawai region in particular. In this line, there are two points that have entered the earthquake over the period that occurred in 1797 and 1833 with a grace period of years antarra 200-250.

He added since the last five years BPDP and the University of Southtern California (USC) as well as several other research institutes world give serious attention to the possibility of a large earthquake centered off the northwest coast of Sumatra. Based on paleoseismic, large earthquakes in this region had occurred in 1797 and 1988 with a moment magnitude (Mw) ranges between 8,4-8,9.

"But it happened in Bengkulu, a distance of approximately 200 km north of the point that we watch out. And the big earthquake that happened yesterday could be a trigger earthquakes at this point," said researcher's birth Bengkulu.

Besides Mentawai he said, other areas that also need to watch out for is the Banggai district, in Sulawasi also had a history of great earthquakes and tsunamis. Similarly, in the southern coastal areas of Java to Banyuwangi along Pacitan also become vulnerable point.

"Because we now live in disaster-prone areas, could not help the tsunami disaster mitigation problem becomes what to do. In addition to structuring the beach, public education must continue to be the face of disaster," said Rahman. (bgs / Djo)