Jakarta: 6.2 magnitude earthquake caused injuries and infrastructure damage

A 6.2 magnitude earthquake occurred at 11:29 p.m. local time on Saturday 28^th of April. The quake's epicenter was approximately 156km southwest of Garut, West Java, at a depth of 70km. The earthquake was felt in Jakarta, Serang, Banten, and Yogyakarta, located up to 350km from the epicenter, while the tremors affected various areas in West Java, including the Banjar municipality and the Garut, Bandung, Tasikmalaya, and Sukabumi districts.

BMKG clarified that the Garut quake was not a megathrust earthquake but rather a medium earthquake caused by rock deformation in the Indo-Australia tectonic plate subducting into the Eurasia plate. However, residents were advised against returning to damaged homes until ensuring their safety and stability.

The event resulted in damage to hundreds of buildings across several cities and districts in the province, while it caused several injuries. Fortunately, no fatalities have been reported. Specifically, authorities reported at least 110 houses and buildings damaged by the earthquake, with Garut regency sustaining the most significant impact. Despite no tsunami warning issued by the BMKG, precautions were advised for areas affected by the seismic activity.

To prepare for potential aftershocks, Sumedang Regency's BPBD has established evacuation tents at Sumedang General Hospital's parking lot. Moreover, despite the absence of aftershocks, potential disasters, e.g. landslides and flash floods, were cautioned due to weakened cliffs resulting from the earthquake.