BMKG Earthquake and Tsunami Director Daryono Resigns and Takes Early Retirement, What's the Reason?

Daryono, Director of Earthquakes and Tsunamis at the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG), has resigned from his position and submitted an application for early retirement from the institution.

In a statement shared through an earthquake information and disaster media communication group in Jakarta on Saturday, Daryono said he is currently undergoing medical treatment for an eye condition called corneal dystrophy and is on official leave before entering early retirement.

The resignation was announced after he formally submitted it to the BMKG leadership on Friday evening, 13 February 2026. Through the announcement, he requested that media outlets no longer list his affiliation as BMKG Director of Earthquakes and Tsunamis in their reporting.

“Until 1 May (2026), I still hold the status of a BMKG employee,” said Daryono.

Although no longer in his post, Daryono expressed his continued commitment to providing public education in the fields of seismology and disaster management as part of his scientific, educational, and moral responsibility in a disaster-prone country like Indonesia.

“God willing, until I eventually have a new and credible institutional affiliation, I will remain consistent in contributing as an expert and public educator in the field of disaster management, while continuing to uphold scientific objectivity, integrity, and the interests of public safety. That is all I can convey. Thank you for the cooperation, trust, and synergy that has been so well established,” he said.

Daryono has long been recognized as one of the key figures in communicating earthquake and tsunami potential information to the public, whether regarding domestic or international events. He has also frequently shared scientific analyses on earthquakes and tsunamis, both personally to journalists and through his various personal social media channels.

Born in Semarang, Central Java, on 21 February 1971, he graduated from the Academy of Meteorology and Geophysics (AMG) in the class of 1993, then earned a bachelor’s degree in Meteorology and Geophysics from the University of Indonesia in 2000, a master’s degree from Udayana University in 2002, and a doctorate in Geographical Sciences from Gadjah Mada University in 2006.

His career at BMKG began as a technical staff member at the Regional Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Office (MKG) Region III in Denpasar. He then became active as a geophysics researcher from 2005 onward and held a number of strategic positions before being appointed Director of Earthquakes and Tsunamis in 2022.