Institut Teknologi Bandung

During this session, the Dean of the Faculty of Earth Sciences and Technology (FEST ITB), Prof. Dr. Irwan Meilano, S.T., M.Sc., presented a lecture titled “Earthquakes and Disaster Potential in 2024”.

Reflecting on the Sumedang earthquake at the end of 2023, Prof. Irwan delved deeper into the earthquake potential in the Sumedang and its surrounding area, which includes the cause of the earthquake that is closely related to the movement of the Cileunyi-Tanjungsari Fault.

“The northern segment is capable of generating a 6.0 magnitude earthquake, while the southern segment could produce a 6.1 magnitude quake. However, it is highly likely for both segments to cause earthquakes exceeding 6.5 in magnitude,” he explained.

Nevertheless, Prof. Irwan’s team expressed that more research is necessary to determine the exact cause of the Sumedang earthquake. “We require additional time to determine whether the earthquake originated from the northern segment of Cileunyi-Tanjungsari Fault or from a different source,” he said.

In terms of earthquake risk mitigation, Prof. Irwan emphasized the importance of following earthquake-resistant standards in building design and construction. He highlighted how crucial it is to uphold laws governing sound building practices, especially those that involve early warnings of impending catastrophes.

Additionally, he mentioned the need for inclusive education on catastrophe mitigation. Prof Irwan proposed integrating disaster mitigation education into extracurricular activities while maintaining its relevance to the current curriculum.

"However, this knowledge should be integrated into extracurricular activities so students can understand it better. In my opinion, it is the most effective solution," he said.

According to Prof. Irwan, one of the ways is to involve stakeholders in engaging a broader range of community involvement. Moreover, Bandung Raya has several community groups based on culture, religion, or other interests. This potential can be used to promote awareness of disaster risk. Such efforts are important because preparing for natural disasters like earthquakes can reduce risks.

“Occurrences of seismic activity may not always translate into catastrophes and losses, this depends on our readiness. As mentioned, the Indonesian National Standardization Body (BSN) has established Indonesian National Standards (SNI) regarding structural building readiness. These standards cover essential requirements that must be met, including load-bearing capacity, risk levels, and expected performance targets for buildings, other structures, and non-structural components," he explained.

Furthermore, Prof. Irwan hopes that building earthquake-resistant buildings will become a shared concern. He observed that several buildings damaged by the Sumedang earthquake did not have good building structure regulations and lacked shock-resistant structures in their walls or foundations.

“I think that is one of the significant tasks for us to enhance public awareness including the policymakers’ understanding. Therefore, it is our responsibility in the education sector to increase our efforts in improving public literacy and emphasizing the significance of disaster mitigation fundamentals,” he concluded.

Reporter: Ayesha Lativa Mafaza (Post Harvest Technology, 2021)
Translator: Sherina Wijaya (Geological Engineering, 2019)