2022: INDONESIA AND ITS DEADLIEST EARTHQUAKES 

Did you know that Indonesia has had more than 150 earthquakes with magnitude greater than 7 in the period 1901 to 2019, and that while the deadly 5.6-magnitude earthquake on Monday (21 Nov. 2022) killed more than 200 people, that of a 7.5-magnitude earthquake in 2018 killed more than 2,000 people?

An earthquake of 5.6 Magnitude at a depth of 10 kilometers occurred in West Java Province (Indonesia) on 21 November at 6.21 UTC (13.21 local time). The epicentre of the earthquake was on land, about 10 km south-west of Cianjur Regency (West Java Province). 

USGS PAGER estimates that up to 242,000 people were exposed to very strong shaking and up to 978,000 people to strong shaking. The earthquake event was felt as well in the Jakarta Capital City, according to media reports. 

According to the Indonesian National Board for Disaster Management (BNPB), two people died and four others sustained injuries in Cianjur. Initial damage estimations report at least seven destroyed houses, two damaged government buildings, three damaged educational facilities, and one damaged place of worship. Warnings for heavy rainfall accompanied by lightning and strong winds have been issued for 21-22 November over West Java, including Cianjur Regency.

Overall, the deadly 5.6-magnitude earthquake killed at least 162 people and injured hundreds in Cianjur in West Java. Hundreds of structures were destroyed or damaged in the area, where landslides are frequent. Thousands are estimated to have been displaced from their homes, and medical facilities were treating patients outdoors, while search and rescue operations are ongoing.

In its latest announcements on Tuesday, the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) added that 151 people were still missing. It also said that 22,000 houses had been damaged, and that more than 58,000 people had taken shelter in several locations in the region. Many of those killed and injured in a major earthquake on the Indonesian island of Java were children, rescuers say, as the death toll soars to 268.

Indonesia is in a seismic zone and frequently experiences earthquakes, which can cause significant casualties especially when followed by tsunamis. In 2018, a 7.5-magnitude earthquake that was trailed by a tsunami in the central island of Sulawesi killed more than 2,000 people, according to the United Nations. In 2009, a quake that struck southern Sumatra led to 1,117 deaths.

Indonesia also often experiences extreme weather events and other natural disasters near the end of the year, when it is hit by heavy monsoon rains, which can cause floods and mudslides.

Sources:

https://reliefweb.int/disaster/eq-2022-000363-idn

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2022/11/21/indonesia-earthquake-cianjur/

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-63712461.amp