The 2020 Quake on the Banda Sea and Its Impact on Society

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The 2020 Quake on the Banda Sea and Its Impact on Society

Earthquakes are one of the most devastating natural disasters when tectonic plates break. The main problem is that such ruptures happen all the time in seismically active zones causing repeated earthquakes of various intensities. In areas such as the Banda Sea, surface and deep faults are constantly occurring due to the features of the seabed topography. Single events such as the earthquake in Indonesia on August 21, 2020, may not cause significant damage on their own. However, permanent residence in such seismically active zones has a substantial impact on the lifestyle of society, its development, and its culture.

The 6.9 Quake on the Banda Sea in Indonesia occurred on August 21 in 2020, with the epicenter in the Banda Sea. The US Geological Survey (USGS) stated that since the earthquake was very deep, 627 km, it did not cause a tsunami (M 6.9). Seismic activity in this region is driven by interplate faults between the Australian and Sunda Plates and intraslab faulting of the Australian Plate (M 6.9). This earthquake is associated with intraslab faulting since such faults do not cause a tsunami, unlike interplate faults because they did not cause tsunami waves. The United States Geological Survey predicted a low likelihood of collateral damage and humanitarian impact on the exposed population based on the collected data.

In this case, the earthquake did not have a significant impact, although Indonesians felt it, and many local and American services monitored the possible effects with tension. The Banda Sea is an area with complex tectonic conditions and constant strong earthquakes that occur, on average, more than 15 times a year (Yuliatmoko et al. 100). During an earthquake, a mutual displacement of the bottom occurs along the vertical: part of the bottom falls, and part rises. There are many geological collisions between rocks of different hardness in the Banda Sea, forming a spoon-shaped geometry (Yuliatmoko et al. 92). Therefore, any gravitational anomalies lead to friction and shifts that generate earthquakes.

Constant earthquakes produce a lasting civilizational effect on the population living in the unstable zone because the destruction of varying degrees occurs continuously. This leads to forming a fear culture and a constant waste of resources on restoration, not progress and development. People living in such regions need a complete infrastructure restructuring with developed protection from seismic vibrations and implementation of the coastline protection measures (Orchard et al. 3609). For example, in Japan, seismic shock absorbers on roller bearings are used for skyscraper construction. These developed in Japan structures are resistant to earthquakes with a magnitude greater than 7 (Orchard et al. 3627). In third-world countries, such security measures are often neglected, and the population is forced to spend their efforts to eliminate the consequences of earthquakes.

Thus, earthquakes occur in seismically active zones on a permanent basis due to friction of the plates and the formation of cracks in them. The population in such areas is constantly affected by the destructions caused by earthquakes and tsunamis and has to rebuild the same flimsy building structures in haste. The best solution for people living in active seismic zones would be the advanced development of earthquake-resistant construction technologies and coastline fortification. A complete overhaul and infrastructure strengthening are required to stop the constant destruction. Otherwise, it is impossible to imagine how to achieve stability and socio-economic development in these regions.

Works Cited

M 6.9 222 Km SSE of Katabu, Indonesia. USGS Earthquake Hazards Program, USGS, 2020.

Orchard, Shane, et al. Coastal tectonics and habitat squeeze: response of a tidal lagoon to co-seismic sea-level change. Natural Hazards, vol. 103, no. 3, 2020: 3609-3631.

Yuliatmoko, Rahmat Setyo, et al. Stress Drop Analysis on Banda Sea. Jurnal Pendidikan Fisika Indonesia, vol. 16, no. 2, 2020: 92-101.

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