As West Papua continually created rapid infrastructure in many sectors, they were faced with the power of Mother Nature. Early this year, some regions in the land of Cenderawasih were hit by earthquakes. To know further about the natural disaster that hit West Papua earlier this year, here is the information.
January 20
On Thursday, January 20, 2022, at 17.44, Jayapura was struck by a tectonic foreshock with a magnitude of M 5.5. The Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency or Badan Meteorologi Klimatologi dan Geofisika (BMKG) released a data analysis stating that the earthquake had a parameter of 5.6 magnitudes. The ground-shaking was confirmed by BMKG on their Twitter account.
The epicenter of the earthquake was in the sea 119 kilometers northeast of Jayapura. The quake’s coordinates were at 2.04 latitude (south latitude) and 140.37 east longitude (east longitude). The epicenter depth was 10 kilometers. Luckily, the January earthquake didn’t have a potential for a tsunami.
January 30
Ten days after the above tectonic earthquake, West Papua was hit once again. On Sunday, January 30 at 04.17, an earthquake with a parameter of 4.2 magnitudes occurred 33 kilometers northwest of Jayapura region and the epicenter was on land. BMKG released the detailed information on their Twitter account.
The epicenter depth was 14 kilometers with coordinates of 2.42 South Latitude 140.15 East Longitude. No tsunami potential was detected and the earthquake shaking was felt on the Genyem II (MMI) scale. On this scale, locals in Jayapura felt the tremors and objects that were hung were moving.
February 1
On Tuesday afternoon, February 1, BMKG released another statement informing that a quake with a magnitude of 4.4 on the Richter scale shook the Kaimana area, West Papua. The tremor was centered in the sea.
BMKG observed the shock happened 10 kilometers at 14:50 and the epicenter was on land 49 kilometers southwest of Kaimana. The coordinates of the earthquake point were at 3.66 latitude (south latitude) and 133.71 east longitude (east longitude).
February 8
On Tuesday, February 2, Jayapura region was hit once more by a quake with a smaller power of 3.2 magnitudes. The quake centered on land and happened at 07:29. When it happened, there were two areas that felt the shaking. The areas were Jayapura city with II MMI (Modified Mercalli Intensity) scale and Jayapura district with II-III MMI.
BMKG’s analysis showed that the coordinates of the earthquake point are located at 2.52 South Latitude (LS) and 140.55 East Longitude (BT) or, more precisely at 8 km northwest of Jayapura City. BMKG also reported that the quake happened at 10 kilometers depth.
February 24
On their official website, BMKG released an explanation that another earthquake struck West Papua, more precisely in Nabire district, in February. The tremor occurred on Thursday, February 24, at 13:45. The epicenter of the quake was on land, 65 kilometers northwest of Nabire and 20 kilometers deep.
The tremor’s parameter was 4.5 magnitudes. BMKG stated that the scale was II-III MMI (Modified Mercalli Intensity). The epicenter of the earthquake was at coordinates 3.28 South Latitude (LS) – 135.21 East Longitude (BT).
March 19
An earthquake with a magnitude of 5.2 shook Bintuni Bay, West Papua on March 19 at 11:26. Fortunately, it had no potential for a tsunami. The earthquake happened at a depth of 10 kilometers with coordinates of 1.93 latitude-133.32 east longitude (2 km southwest of Bintuni Bay, West Papua).
At the same time BMKG released the information, they also reminded people to be prepared for aftershocks that might occur.
Those are some earthquakes that hit West Papua in early 2022. Hopefully, Papuan people already know the best safety actions when the same thing happens. So that, there will be no casualties.
