20 Years On: Yogyakarta Earthquake's 57-Second Quake Claimed 6,652 Lives

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com — On 27 May 20 years ago at 5:54 AM WIB, the ground in the Special Region of Yogyakarta (DIY) suddenly shifted. The movement did not immediately prompt public alertness; rather, it was a violent churning that left buildings across DIY in ruins.

According to Kompaspedia.kompas.id, the 57-second quake on 27 May 2006 caused extensive damage, claiming thousands of lives and injuring tens of thousands.

The National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) in Yogyakarta recorded 6,652 deaths from collapsed buildings, including 5,338 in DIY. The Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysical Agency (BMKG) reported the earthquake measured 6.3 in magnitude, with its epicentre at 7.962°S latitude and 110.43°E longitude at a depth of 10 km.

The worst damage occurred along the Opak Fault, a 30-kilometre-long fracture line forming the Opak Valley, stretching from Sanden in Bantul Regency, DIY, to Tulung in Klaten Regency, Central Java.

According to data from the National Coordination Agency (Bakornas), hundreds of thousands of buildings were damaged in Yogyakarta and Central Java, with 127,879 severely damaged, 182,382 moderately damaged, and 261,219 slightly damaged.

Total material losses from the Yogyakarta earthquake are estimated at Rp29.1 trillion.

Beyond the grief experienced by Yogyakarta residents, the quake also presents an unresolved mystery for scientists. According to vik.kompas.com, several research institutions have published findings on the 2006 Yogyakarta quake’s epicentre.