BMKG ends tsunami early warning in Maluku

Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Indonesian Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) officially ended the tsunami early warning due to an earthquake with a magnitude of 7.5 on the north coast of Southwest Maluku at 00.47 local time, Tuesday.

Head of BMKG Dwikorita Karnawati stated in a virtual press conference in Jakarta on Tuesday that the tsunami early warning was ended on the basis of modeling and observation process in areas affected by the earthquake.

"After two hours of issuing the tsunami early warning, the agency ended the early warning. However, we must remind that this warning is not being revoked but we ended it. We urge the public to remain vigilant and continue their activities as usual," she remarked.

Thus, the tsunami early warning was declared to have ended at 3:43 local time, she noted.

Karnawati explained that termination of the early tsunami warning was based on the standard calculation of the arrival time of the tsunami up to two hours after the earthquake.

In addition, through monitoring the rise in sea level at four points, BMKG was certain that there would not be a significant increase.

"Based on observations using the tide gauge method at four locations around the earthquake, namely Seira, Adaut, Lirang, and Larat, there were no significant anomalies or changes in sea level," she revealed.

Based on BMKG information, epicenter of the earthquake was located at coordinates 7.37° South Latitude (LS); 130.23° East Longitude (BT) or to be precise, located at sea at a distance of 136 km northwest of West Southeastern Maluku, Maluku, at a depth of 130 km.

The BMKG concluded that the earthquake occurred due to subduction activity in the Banda Sea. Based on the hypocenter, the earthquake was classified as a medium category with an earthquake mechanism in the form of an upward movement (thrust fault).