Two days ago, we had an earthquake. Initial speculation was that it was caused by the dormant volcano we live on and that it might be becoming active again. Yesterday, seismologists and volcanologists came together and said that the earthquake was not volcanic because volcanic earthquakes don't cause damage, and since 45 homes were damaged, that means the quake was tectonic. Also, the seismology equipment on the mountain didn't record anything, so maybe the earthquake never even happened at all. I'm no expert, but I call those explanations dubious at best.
To be clear, there has not been mass panic or any huge evacuation migration out of town. We are all just trying to stay aware and on top of the news. Well... All of us except for a few of my more dramatic friends who already have their bags packed and like to go around asking everyone they meet, "If it erupts tonight, where will you run to?"
We may have one of the most corrupt governments in the world, but when it comes to earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, I have faith in the government experts. They are extremely good at their jobs, and they really stay on top of things. In the six years that I have been here, many volcanoes have erupted throughout the country, but never once did the government fail to give them ample warning and provide evacuation assistance well ahead of the eruption.
I trust them. But I feel like they have been blowing a lot of hot air the past few days. It seems like they are just trying to come up with really vague explanations to cover the fact that their equipment malfunctioned and they really have no idea what is going on. Honestly, that has made me a little bit nervous. If the experts don't know what is going on, then WHAT is going on??
This morning though, I finally read an article that makes an iota of sense. It seems like they have finally found some answers. Answers based on legitimate facts and not speculation. Answers that we want to hear.
The article (translated roughly by me) says this:
Liputan6.com, Semarang : A booming around Mount Merbabu, specifically in the Sumogawe village of Getasan district of Semarang regency in Central Java was followed by an earthquake with a strength of 2.7 on the Richter scale. Until now the source of the quake remains unknown. However, it has been confirmed that it was not caused by activity from Mount Merbabu. "What we know for sure is that it was a 2.7 quake on the Richter scale," said Warnadi, the vice regent of Semarang in Semarang, Central Java on Tuesday.
The government of Semarang has already coordinated with the local Regional Disaster Management Agency (RDMA). The total number of damaged homes has been recorded. "To help, we are taking inventory of exactly what the people need. As of the last report, 7 homes were severely damaged," said Warnadi.
The mysterious booming occurred on Monday, 17 February, yesterday, at around 6 AM. According to local residents, the earthquake was strong enough to cause some homes to fall and walls of homes to crack. Some citizens also saw light like lightning on Mount Merbabu.
According to Sarwa Pramana, the head of Central Java's RDMA, Mount Merbabu is still safe. It is suspected that the booming sound has no relation to the quake; it just sounded at the same time. "We still don't know the source of the booming, it may have been another noise that occurred at the same time as the quake, " said Sarwa.
According to Surono, head of the Geological Agency Center, this phenomenon is like a typical tectonic earthquake. The earthquake was a result of the eruption of Mount Kelud in Kediri, East Java.
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