The Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) of Region V of Jayapura city, Papua province, recorded 483 aftershocks as of 8 p.m. local time on Friday following the 4.9-magnitude earthquake on Monday.
The coordinator for observation at BMKG Region V Jayapura Danang Pamuji said here on Friday that so far, the center has not been able to determine until when the aftershocks will occur.
“Aftershocks are still happening, thus the public is asked to remain vigilant,” he said.
The agency noted that 42 out of the 483 aftershocks were sensed by the community.
Pamuji said that the earthquake that occurred early on Monday (January 2, 2023) reportedly damaged a number of buildings in Jayapura city.
He informed that the center will continue to provide updates on the occurrence of meteorological and geological phenomena, thus the public must not panic or believe in false information.
“BMKG will always update both earthquakes and weather (information), including sea tide level, thus the people will be well-informed about it,” he added.
Meanwhile, Martha, a resident of Dok V area of Jayapura city, said that due to the aftershocks, her family chose to sleep in the living room so that they could evacuate immediately, if needed.
“Yes, our family has chosen to sleep in the living room rather than in the bedroom because we are afraid of the impact of the quake,” she added.
The Papua Provincial Regional Mitigation Disaster Agency (BPBD) reported that a number of public and commercial buildings in Jayapura city were damaged in the earthquake on Monday, including Provita Jayapura Hospital, Swiss Bell Hotel, Horizon Hotel, Sunny Abepura Hotel, and Jayapura Mall.
The floors, walls, and glass in the buildings were reported to have developed cracks due to the quake.
Earlier, the Papua Provincial BPBD called on displaced residents to return to their homes since the earthquake did not have the potential to trigger a tsunami.
The disaster also prompted patients at Jayapura Regional Hospital to flee their rooms.
Source: Antara News