August 2, 2019 Earthquake: Banten, Java, Indonesia

Reference #1053:

Tectonic Summary

The August 2, 2019, M 6.9 earthquake off the western end of the Indonesian island of Java occurred as the result of oblique reverse faulting, near the boundary between the Australia and Sunda plates. Focal mechanism solutions for the event indicate rupture occurred on either a moderately dipping fault striking towards the SSW, or on a moderately dipping fault striking towards the ENE. At the location of this earthquake, the Australian plate is moving northeast relative to the Sunda plate at a rate of approximately 60 mm/yr. The Australia plate begins subducting beneath the Sunda Plate at the Sunda-Java trench, approximately 100 km southwest of this earthquake. The location, depth and preliminary focal mechanism solution for this earthquake indicate the event likely occurred within the subducting lithosphere of the Australia plate, rather than on the shallower interplate thrust boundary.

The plate boundary region between the Australia and Sunda plates is highly seismically active, with past strong earthquakes having occurred within each of the Australia and Sunda plates as well as on the plate interface. Two earthquakes above M 7.0 have occurred within 250 km of this event within the past century, including a M 7.1 and M 7.6 events in 1943 and 1933, respectively. Further afield, the M 7.8 earthquake of June 2, 1994, and the M 7.7 earthquake of July 17, 2006, both of which occurred south of Java and both of which produced destructive tsunamis, occurred as the result of thrust faulting on the shallow plate interface near the Sunda-Java Trench. The devastating Yogyakarta earthquake of May 26, 2006, M 6.3, occurred at shallow depth within the overriding Sunda plate, 600 km to the east of the August 2, 2019 event, killing more than 5000 people. The M 7.5 Java earthquake of August 28, 2007, occurred at a depth of about 290 km within the subducted Australia plate, 325 km to the northeast of today's event.

One person died from a heart attack at Cigemblong. Two people killed at Lebak; 3 people killed and 3 injured at Pandeglang; 2 people killed and 1 injured at Sukabumi; 4 people injured in Banten. A total of 505 structures damaged or destroyed across Banten and Jawa Barat.

Reference #12483:

Data on BNPB on August 3, 2019 as of 20.00 WIB recorded several developments after the Banten earthquake M 6.9 on Friday (2/8) at 19.03 WIB. The National Disaster Repeat Agency (BNPB) recorded 13 houses severely damaged (RB), 50 moderately damaged (RS) and 408 others slightly damaged (RR). In addition to the residential sector, damage also targets 1 unit of rice mill building, 19 educational facilities, 1 village office unit, 13 mosque units

Meanwhile, the death toll increased to 6 people, while 3 people were injured. Death victims were identified in several regions. The following are details of the death toll in Pandeglang Regency, 1 person from Saín (40), Lebak Regency, 3 people from Rasinah (48), Salam (95) and Icha (65) and in Sukabumi District, 2 people H. Ajay (58 ) and Mr. Ruyani (35).

Reference #13412:

Following the earthquake, four people died and more than 200 houses were damaged or destroyed, as reported by the Indonesian National Board for Disaster Management (BNPB).