BRIN uses remote sensing to mitigate impact of earthquakes

[EmperoR]

The National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) uses remote sensing technology to calculate the danger of faults as an effort to mitigate the threat of earthquakes for the public.

A researcher from BRIN's Geological Disaster Research Center, Nurani Rahma Hanifa, stated that her side was collaborating with the British Geological Survey (BGS) in this technology research that has been published in a joint scientific research.

"We hope this effort can reduce the fatality caused by earthquakes with the scientific data we have through remote sensing," she noted in a statement from her office on Thursday.

Meanwhile, BGS' geologist in multi-hazard and remote sensing, Ekbal Hussain, stated that the technology, currently owned by BGS, can measure ground movement patterns and details of earthquake fragments after an earthquake occurred from space using remote sensing.

"Through detailed modeling, this technology can help us to understand that earthquakes have energy released, but there is also energy stored in the earth," Hussain stated.

Regarding the Lembang Fault, he explained that remote sensing can estimate the danger of the Lembang Fault by monitoring energy stored in the fault and how much of it will be released when an earthquake occurs.

He expressed hope that the use of remote sensing technology would save several lives, considering that the earthquakes' vulnerability is dynamic.

Head of BRIN's Geological Disaster Research Center, Adrin Tohari, stated that the Cianjur earthquake that struck in 2022 was interesting to be studied deeper.

He noted that until now, the fault location is not yet discovered, but the impact of damage caused by the fault is quite extensive.

In 2023, BRIN had conducted a study to determine the main earthquake location. However, the agency had not found the main earthquake's vein due to thick volcanic deposits.

"Activity is difficult to detect," Tohari stated.

He is optimistic that the implementation of remote sensing technology would improve the scientists' ability of understanding the potential and risks of the Lembang Fault in the Greater Bandung area.