NORTH TAPANULI, NORTH SUMATRA — Dompet Dhuafa Waspada (Dompet Dhuafa Alert) and the Disaster Management Center (DMC) deployed a response team to accelerate the initial handling of the earthquake emergency response on Sunday morning (02/10/2022).
The earthquake with a magnitude of 6.0 shook the North Tapanuli area, North Sumatra, on Saturday (01/10/2022) at 02.28 WIB. The epicenter was at the position of 2.13 N – 98.89 BT at a depth of 10 kilometers and did not have the potential for a tsunami.
“We, together with Dompet Dhuafa Medan Branch, North Sumatra, have deployed a team to help assess damage data and affected residents,” explained Haryo Mojopahit as Chief Executive of DMC Dompet Dhuafa through a short message.
The M 6.0 North Tapanuli earthquake, according to a summary of data as of 06.00 WIB, has been followed by aftershocks above M 5.0 as many as 2 (two) times. As for the first one, an earthquake of magnitude M 5.1 at 02.50 WIB at a depth of 10 kilometers and was in the position of 2.05 N – 98.99 BT.
“We headed for a village that suffered considerable damage. The location is in the Sipoholon District area,” explained one of the Dompet Dhuafa Waspada team.
Then the next aftershock occurred 47 minutes later or at 03.37 WIB. The earthquake had a magnitude of M 5.0 at a depth of 10 kilometers and was centered at 2.03 N – 98.97 BT.
The series of earthquakes above were felt moderately strong for 3-5 seconds in several districts ranging from North Tapanuli, Humbang Hasundutan, Toba, Central Tapanuli, North Labuhan Batu, and Medan City. The districts of North Tapanuli, Humbang Hasundutan, and Toba, reported that people had panicked and scattered out of their homes. Shortly after the earthquake the power went out.
An interim visual report received by the National Disaster Management Agency’s (BNPB) Center for Disaster Management (Pusdalops), showed some residents who suffered head injuries and are already receiving intensive care.
The damage as well as the entirety of the injured and others are still in the process of further data collection by the Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD), Dompet Dhuafa Waspada–DMC Dompet Dhuafa and related cross-agencies.
Based on the report that DMC Dompet Dhuafa received from the disaster management network, there were landslides at several points but until now 2-wheeled vehicles can still pass through. Information and data are still in a rapid search effort because in some locations the power grid is temporarily cut off, and communication flows are hampered. The electricity is broken, and in some locations it needs electricity to drive the water pump (there is no PDAM).
Some residents from Huta Tinggi Village took refuge in makeshift tents in their yards, not centralized. The total population is about 750 households.
Currently, Dompet Dhuafa Waspada and DMC Dompet Dhuafa have recorded house damage in Pagaranyang District consisting of the level of minor (28 housing units), medium (19 units), and heavy (26 units) damage. The 500-meter road was heavily damaged, 1 (one) bridge was heavily damaged, 3 (three) irrigations were heavily damaged, 40 embankments/TPT were heavily damaged, 14 church units were damaged, 7 (seven) schools/government buildings were damaged, 9 (nine) drinking water reservoir units were lightly damaged, and 3 people were treated at home.
As a form of public anticipation of the potential and threat of disasters that can be caused by earthquakes, people do not need to panic but still increase preparedness and vigilance for potential aftershocks.
Earthquake early warning can be made by utilizing items that are easily found at home such as arranging cans in tiers. It aims to be an ‘alarm’ in the event of an earthquake.
People are also urged to ensure that evacuation routes out of the house are not blocked by large objects such as cabinets, tables, refrigerators and so on. In addition, for the community to ensure that there are no large items such as cabinets, refrigerators, tables and others that can hinder the evacuation process out of the house when an earthquake occurs.
Also read: https://www.dompetdhuafa.org/dompet-dhuafa-bantu-penanganan-pasca-tragedi-di-stadion-kanjuruhan/
“Especially for people living in coastal areas, pay attention to the event of an earthquake that lasts more than 30 seconds, it is expected to immediately go to higher places to avoid the possibility of a tsunami,” wrote in an official BNPB release.
Dompet Dhuafa Waspada and DMC Dompet Dhuafa appealed to the participation of the community to help accelerate the handling of earthquake affected areas. The community can also help accelerate the handling of the north Tapanuli earthquake through the Indonesia Siap Siaga page in https://donasi.dompetdhuafa.org/indonesiasiapsiaga/ or contact the DMC Dompet Dhuafa call center at 08116116916. (Dompet Dhuafa/ DMC)