Indonesia Enhances Housing Construction Regulations to Address Earthquake Hazards
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Jakarta, Jan 8 (NationPress) The government of Indonesia is gearing up to enforce stricter housing construction regulations throughout the country to mitigate the grave impacts of potential megathrust earthquakes, as stated by a senior official at the Public Housing and Settlements Ministry.
The deputy minister of the ministry, Fahri Hamzah, informed reporters that all future housing projects will be designed to withstand earthquakes. "We will mandate that all constructions and buildings adhere to studies conducted by the government. This will assess the viability of any project," he remarked.
"This initiative must be executed. We cannot afford to lose any more homes to earthquakes," he emphasized.
Ranked among the top 35 nations for natural disaster vulnerability, Indonesia is taking proactive measures against potential megathrust earthquakes that could lead to catastrophic tsunamis. In September of the previous year, the country’s Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency indicated that megathrust earthquakes are likely to happen in two specific zones: the Sunda Strait and the areas surrounding the Mentawai-Siberut islands, as reported by Xinhua news agency.
Both of these zones are recognized as earthquake-prone regions within the Indian Ocean, characterized by seismic gaps that have been inactive for centuries.
Indonesia lies at the intersection of the Indo-Australian, Eurasian, Pacific, and Philippine tectonic plates. Over the last thirty years, the nation has suffered from devastating earthquakes that have claimed thousands of lives and caused significant infrastructural damage.
Due to its positioning in a seismically active and volcanically prone area, Indonesia regularly experiences seismic events, with 127 active volcanoes.
The significant earthquakes that impacted the islands of Java and Sumatra in 2006, 2007, and 2009 have led scientists, engineers, and government officials to revise the national standards for earthquake-resistant building designs.
The disastrous earthquake that occurred on December 26, 2004, was a seismic incident of unparalleled scale and devastating effects.
This underwater earthquake, registering an astonishing 9.1 on the Richter scale, took place off the northern coast of Sumatra. The repercussions of this seismic event were far-reaching, triggering one of the most catastrophic tsunamis in history, with waves reaching heights of 100 feet, resulting in over 200,000 fatalities and decimating numerous communities. The tsunami inundated coastal areas of several nations bordering the Indian Ocean, including Indonesia, Thailand, Sri Lanka, India, and others.
