Six Earthquakes and Tsunamis Strike Indonesian Regions During Mudik Lebaran Period: Stay Alert
Jakarta – As Indonesia approaches the Mudik Lebaran 2026 period ahead of Eid al-Fitr 2026, families prepare to travel home after a year of some members working in major cities. Transport tickets across various modes are becoming scarce and prices are rising.
As millions undertake this journey, the Indonesian Meteorological, Climatological and Geophysical Agency (BMKG) has warned that several regions will continue to experience heavy rainfall over the coming week until 16 March 2026. For those using land-based transport, specific regional factors must be carefully monitored, including geography, geology, and disaster risks from earthquakes and tsunamis.
Indonesia is situated in a seismically active region. According to Pusgen (2024), the archipelago contains 14 subduction/megathrust earthquake source segments and 402 active fault earthquake source segments. Earthquakes and tsunamis are natural phenomena that currently cannot be predicted and can occur at any time.
The BMKG has documented at least 13 destructive earthquake and tsunami events occurring during religious holidays and vacation periods. Six of these occurred during the Eid al-Fitr period: the 1996 Biak tsunami, the 2009 Pariaman earthquake, the 2012 Palu, Central Sulawesi earthquake, the 2021 Nias earthquake, the 2023 Mentawai Islands earthquake, and the 2024 Ransiki earthquake. Historical records of earthquakes during other holiday periods include the 1674 Ambon tsunami (Chinese New Year), the 1821 Semarang-Jepara earthquake (Christmas), the 1852 Banda Naira tsunami (Christmas), the 1982 Larantuka tsunami (Christmas), the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami (Christmas), the 2005 Bora, Central Sulawesi earthquake (Eid al-Adha), and the 2018 Sunda Strait tsunami (Christmas).
This historical record underscores the importance of early disaster mitigation by continuously monitoring weather conditions through regular updates from BMKG. Travellers are urged to remain vigilant and informed.