Signs of Major Earthquake Found Beneath Mount Ciremai, Scientists Surprised

The National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) has revealed a surprising discovery at the foot of Mount Ciremai, in the East Kuningan area. They found evidence of fault activity in the form of a reversed soil layer structure. The research team identified this Quaternary-era tectonic activity, which began 2.58 million years ago, using geochronological analysis and LiDAR mapping of distal deposits from Mount Ciremai. The use of LiDAR allowed the team to view surface features unobstructed by vegetation, and the mapping results showed tilting and faulting in the land morphology. Using carbon dating methods on the East Kuningan route, the team discovered 22,000-year-old deposits situated above 20,000-year-old deposits, meaning the older soil layer was pushed over the younger one. Sonny Aribowo, a Junior Researcher at BRIN’s Geological Disaster Research Centre and the research team leader, explained that this indicates a phase of rebalancing after major tectonic pressure. “In addition to the thrust fault, evidence of a normal fault was also found in deposits aged around 16,000 years, indicating a sediment rebalancing phase after major tectonic pressure, or possibly traces of a major earthquake event during that period,” Sonny stated. The research also successfully distinguished between distal and proximal deposits of Mount Ciremai. The distal deposits are classified as sub-alkaline basaltic volcanic sediments with high iron and low silica content, while the proximal deposits found near the peak are dominated by basaltic andesite rocks with a medium-K magma series. The relationship between these two types of deposits requires further study due to their differing characteristics.