3 Important Preparations for Megathrust Earthquake Risk

Have you heard about the news about the megathrust earthquake that the people of Indonesia have to face? This earthquake itself is a natural phenomenon that has enormous destructive potential and can trigger seismic impacts to devastating tsunamis.

Some time ago, the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) warned of a megathrust risk for the people of Indonesia, especially in the southwestern areas of Java and Sumatra. However, the risk is also predicted to spread to the west of Sumatra Island, and along the southern area of Java Island.

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More about Megathrust Earthquakes

In short, a megathrust earthquake is an earthquake of enormous size. They occur in subduction zones, when one of the Earth's tectonic plates is pushed underneath another tectonic plate.

What generally happens when a megathrust occurs is that a continental plate slides over an oceanic plate, which is heavier and colder. As these two plates touch and move forward towards each other, strain buildup occurs and eventually overcomes the friction between the two plates, triggering the megathrust.

Potential Megathrust Earthquakes in Indonesia

Nuraini Rahma Hanifa, an expert researcher at the Geological Disaster Research Center of the National Research and Innovation Agency, said that several Indonesian regions have the potential for a large megathrust earthquake.

This potential is in the areas of Sumatra, Java, and eastern Indonesia. These earthquakes can occur in seismic gap areas, which are areas that look empty but have the potential to be affected by earthquakes and tsunamis.

There are two most significant seismic gaps now, the Sunda Strait megathrust, and the Mentawai-Siberut megathrust. Referring to what happened in the past, these two seismic gaps have a long history without major earthquakes since 1757 and 1797. Experts then analyzed that there is great energy that has been accumulated from these two regions and could be released at any time.

Predicted earthquakes that could occur are on the scale of magnitude 8.7 to magnitude 8.9. The timing of earthquakes and energy release cannot be predicted in detail, but what can be done is to prepare for earthquake and post-earthquake conditions that may occur in the future.

Looking back at history, three megathrust earthquakes have occurred in Indonesia, including:

• Megathrust earthquake in Sumatra in 1833
• Megathrust earthquake in Aceh in 2004
• Megathrust earthquake in Mentawai in 2010

While the 1833 earthquake is not well documented, you and many others will remember the 2004 and 2010 earthquakes, which caused tremendous damage in those areas.

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Mitigation Efforts Before, During, and After an Earthquake

Mitigation is carried out to reduce the risk of casualties and losses arising from earthquakes or disasters that occur. This can be done with preparatory steps, understanding what to do when a disaster, in this case a megathrust earthquake, occurs, and what to do after the earthquake has passed.

1. Preparing for the Megathrust Earthquake

Knowing the potential for a megathrust earthquake is one of the important points in preparing for such a disaster. Then, you can continue by preparing yourself to use the following points.

• First, identify the risks in the area where you live. Map out the area where you live and identify the risks. Is where you live the main area that will be affected if a megathrust occurs? Are there other risks you might have to face? Which areas will be the main gathering points if a disaster occurs? This basic information should be understood so that you can immediately map out the route to take when an emergency occurs.
• Second, make sure the house you live in has an earthquake-resistant building structure. If the place where you live is an earthquake-prone area, and is directly affected by the megathrust threat, then you must make sure that the building structure you have is truly earthquake-resistant. This can reduce the risk of damage and increase the safety of anyone in the house.
• Third, prepare an emergency bag. This bag will contain all the necessities that can support survival efforts after an earthquake occurs. Starting from mineral water, medicines, clothes, flashlights, batteries, important documents, and various other items and equipment that are important for each family member. The goal is that you and your family can quickly evacuate when an earthquake occurs and have the basic equipment to survive for several days.
• Fourth, educate and practice dealing with emergency conditions. continuing to educate and practice with the family to deal with disaster conditions will also be something that needs to be done. This way, each family member knows what to do when a megathrust earthquake occurs, so there is no excessive panic that can make conditions more chaotic.

2. When an Earthquake Occurs

When an earthquake occurs, you must immediately take cover in a safe area. Safe means protected from falling debris or objects that might fall on your head or other limbs.

If you are indoors, take cover under a table or something strong enough to protect you from falling objects or debris. Stay away from window areas, glass, or other heavy objects that may fall. If outdoors, find an open area that is safe from the risk of falling buildings or trees.

Stay calm in the face of an earthquake, and act effectively. Remember, you and your family have practiced for this type of event, and ideally everyone knows what to do and where to gather.

A calm and prepared attitude will help you and your family avoid further risks.

3. After the Earthquake

After the earthquake has passed, there are four things you should do.

• First, evacuate safely to a pre-agreed area, or an area provided by the authorities. Exit the building using stairs and remain cautious during this process.
• Second, be aware of the tsunami threat. It is not uncommon for megathrust earthquakes to come along with tsunamis. Continue to monitor early warnings provided by the government through various channels, and immediately head to high areas to secure yourself from the risk of a possible tsunami.
• Third, do a detailed check and provide help where you can. Prioritize checking your own condition before checking others. If there are no serious injuries, you can immediately assist in the process of checking the condition of family members, and make sure everyone is okay. If there is an injury, provide first aid to prevent the risk of the condition worsening.
• Fourth, monitor information from trusted sources. In emergencies, information often comes with an emphasis on speed rather than accuracy. So, make sure you keep track of information from trusted sources, and follow the directions of any evacuation officers present in your area.

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Dealing with the potential of a megathrust earthquake cannot be underestimated. A series of careful preparations must be made, along with practicing discipline and keeping up to date with the latest information. At least with this short article you can start to know what to do, and what information is important to update from time to time related to megathrust earthquakes. In addition, you can also start preparing safety nets, such as the right insurance products for your family and home. You can find various insurance products at AXA Insurance Indonesia. For your home, Asuransi SmartHome product can help you provide protection against various damages. This product will provide protection for property, goods, and property against loss or damage that causes financial losses and lawsuits from third parties against the insured for property in accordance with the benefits guaranteed in the policy. You can immediately see the details on the related link and buy it as one of the steps to prepare for the risk of the existing megathrust earthquake. Plan carefully, and provide the best protection for your home and everyone you love with PT AXA Insurance Indonesia!

Referance: 

• https://www.detik.com/edu/detikpedia/d-7521343/peneliti-brin-ungkap-2-ancaman-gempa-megathrust-waspada#:~:text=%22Ancaman%20dari%20megathrust%20terbagi%20menjadi,%2C%20dan%20kebakaran%2C%22%20ujarnya.
• https://www.cnbcindonesia.com/news/20240901100348-4-568136/ancaman-gempa-megathrust-nyata-informasi-bmkg-bakal-disebar-lewat-ini
• https://inovasi.ac.id/wiki/gempa-megathrust-adalah/
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• https://www.rri.co.id/nasional/913262/potensi-gempa-megathrust-ancaman-nyata-di-bawah-tanah-indonesia
• https://vsi.esdm.go.id/press-release/sumber-gempa-bumi-zona-penunjam-megathrust
• https://baznas.go.id/artikel-show/Tips-Penting-untuk-Melindungi-Diri-dari-Ancaman-Gempa-Megathrust/602
• https://www.bmkg.go.id/berita/?p=tentang-gempa-di-selat-sunda-dan-mentawai-siberut-yang-tinggal-menunggu-waktu&lang=ID&tag=megathrust