Revealing Signs and Local Wisdom to Mitigate Potential Earthquakes from the Baribis Fault

The Baribis fault expedition revealed fault signs and the wisdom of local residents when an earthquake occurs.

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Landscape of Sumedang Regency, West Java, Monday (20/5/2024).

Research earthquakes is not to scare the government or citizens. The results actually become a reference for disaster risk as well as its mitigation.

For almost two weeks, 13-24 May 2024, the Baribis fault expedition team explored the West Java region to uncover signs of the fault, history or local knowledge of local residents, and assess the disaster resilience of a number of villages. These areas include Purwakarta, Indramayu, Cirebon, Kuningan, Majalengka, Sumedang, Subang, Karawang and Bogor.

This team consists of Skala Indonesia Foundation, which is engaged in climate change, disaster risk reduction, local wisdom, and sustainable development, as well as experts from the Indonesian Association of Geologists and the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN).

"With earthquake source research, we know where the danger lies. We know, so hopefully in the future we can mitigate it," said researcher from the Geological Disaster Research Center of BRIN, Sonny Aribowo, on Tuesday (21/5/2024).

Sonny hopes that research or studies such as the Baribis fault expedition will not only increase knowledge. More than that, the results can be a reference for cooperation in disaster mitigation.

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Hilly landscape in Kasokendel District, Majalengka Regency, West Java, Sunday (19/5/2024).

Baribis Fault

Java Back-arc Thrust, or the Baribis-Kendeng Fault, is located in the northern part of Java Island. Its range begins from Surabaya in East Java and extends to Blora, Semarang, Kendal, Batang, Pemalang, Tegal, and Brebes in Central Java, then Cirebon, Majalengka, Indramayu, Subang, Karawang, Purwakarta, and Bekasi in West Java, as well as passing south of Jakarta.

Sonny stated that the Baribis fault has a close relationship with volcanoes along its path, namely Mount Ungaran, Dieng Plateau, Mount Ciremai, Tampomas, and Mount Tangkuban Parahu, and Purwakarta. Then, its trace shifted slightly into two branches to the north of Jatiluhur, the Citarum segment and near the Kalimalang channel, then to Depok, Bogor, and there are indications towards Jakarta.

Also read: Baribis Fault Channel in Cipunagara, Blessing and Disaster Risk

Sonny and the team in a publication in the journal Tectonics on July 1 2022 divided this fault into 12 segments from east to west, namely the Kalibaya segment, Cisanggarung segment, Ciremai segment, Baribis segment, Tampomas segment, Cipunagara segment, Tangkuban Parahu, Citarum front segment, Citarum segment, Klapanunggal segment, Salak segment, and Rarata segment.

Regarding the West Java region, he said that the Tangkuban Parahu segment still requires more detailed research. The same applies to the Waduk Jatiluhur area (front segments of Citarum and Citarum segments) due to traces in the northern part and parallel to the Kalimalang channel which then shifted to the south, Depok to Bukit Rarata and Ciampea in Bogor.

“The tracks here (south of Jakarta) are faint. "Maybe because the older structure restricts it so it doesn't penetrate the surface," said Sonny.

Behind that vagueness, there is a potential danger that requires further research. This is known from the research conducted by Professor of Mining and Petroleum Engineering Faculty at the Bandung Institute of Technology, Sri Widiyantoro, and his team, that the western part of the Baribis fault segment is active and locked. This area is very vulnerable to a potentially large earthquake in the future from the Baribis fault, when this accumulated strain energy is finally released.

"The Citarum front segment and the Citarum segment, the Klapanunggal segment, the Rarata segment and the Salak segment need to be researched again," said Sonny.

FRANSISKUS WISNU WARDHANA DANY

The earthquake memorial monument in Cihaur Village, Maja District, Majalengka Regency, West Java, on Saturday (18/5/2024). It is written that there were 12,520 damaged houses after the earthquake on July 6, 1990 in Majalengka, Kuningan, Ciamis, and Sumedang, West Java.

Local wisdom

From this expedition, residents also found knowledge about earthquakes. Generally they call it lindu or line.

Elders in several villages, as well as the younger generation, often use the word "aya" when an earthquake occurred in the past. "Aya" in Sundanese language means "there is".

The trail here (south of Jakarta) is faint. Maybe because the older structure restricts it so it doesn't penetrate the surface.

They say aya while saving themselves, hitting objects until they sound, and saving themselves.

Also read: The Story of Baribis Village, the Shade of Deer in the Wilderness of Tamarind Trees

Dadang (58), a resident of Cikawung Village, Terisi District, Indramayu Regency, is one of them. From his account, before 2000, earthquakes were often associated with mystical beliefs, such as a giant walking.

Apart from this mysticism, residents hit various objects to make sounds while shouting "aya, aya, aya" when earthquakes and other disasters occur.

"After 2000, we used loudspeakers as a sign of danger (disaster)," said Dadang, Tuesday (14/5/2024).

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The old house is thought to have been built after independence in 1945 in Susukan Lebak District, Cirebon Regency, West Java, Thursday (16/5/2024).

Residents of Susukan Lebak Village, Cirebon Regency, also did the same thing. During an earthquake, people say aya while tapping their thumbs together.

Parno (74), a village elder, was taught by his parents to do this when there was a line. However, he didn't know why this was done. ”Maybe aya to show that we are here. "God heard it and we were saved," said Parno, Friday (17/5/2024).

Abdul Karim (58), a resident of Baribis Village, Majalengka, expressed a similar sentiment. He was still doing it as a teenager, like during the earthquake on July 6, 1990.

"Aya earthquake, aya earthquake, aya earthquake while running to the rice fields to save himself," said Abdul. Residents stayed away from residential areas to avoid being hit by collapsed buildings

Generally, after an earthquake, residents will perform 'sedekah bumi' (ground charity). They will together provide 'tumpeng' (cone-shaped rice dish) and boiled free-range eggs for a joint prayer asking for God's protection.

Also read: After 33 Years of the Majalengka Earthquake

The result of the Baribis fault expedition for almost 12 weeks is literacy on disaster in the form of books and films, campaigns through various platforms about history to the resilience of cities and villages in facing disasters.

Director of Skala Indonesia Foundation Trinirmalaningrum stated that disaster preparedness requires many perspectives to be studied in the Baribis fault expedition. From there, proper mitigation can be produced and implemented in the community.