Six Trains Halted as Magnitude 5.2 Earthquake Shakes Pangandaran

A magnitude 5.2 earthquake shook the Pangandaran region of West Java on Wednesday evening, leading to the temporary suspension of six train journeys in the Bandung Operational Area (Daop 2). The quake, which occurred at 21:55 Western Indonesian Time at a depth of 18 kilometres, was felt strongly along several vital Daop 2 railway lines, including the Nagreg-Banjar, Cibatu-Garut, and Cipatat-Gandasoli routes.

Kuswardojo, Public Relations Manager of KAI Daop 2, stated that the Railway Operations Control Centre immediately instructed all trains in the affected areas to perform an emergency stop, either at stations or on the tracks, to allow for infrastructure safety checks. "Safety is the main priority. As soon as we received information about the earthquake, we immediately implemented safety procedures by temporarily stopping train journeys," Kuswardojo said.

KAI Daop 2 promptly deployed personnel to inspect railway lines, bridges, tunnels, switches, and other supporting infrastructure before permitting operations to resume. The six trains halted during the inspection process included the Parcel Selatan, Cikuray, Kutojaya Selatan, Mutiara Selatan, Commuter Line Garut, and Lodaya services.

Kuswardojo acknowledged that the emergency stop could cause delays but stressed that the decision was made for passenger safety. "We understand the potential for delays experienced by customers due to the temporary suspension of train travel. However, this step must be taken to ensure all journeys proceed safely, securely, and comfortably," he said. He also apologised for the inconvenience and thanked customers for their understanding.

Following rigorous inspections by KAI Daop 2 infrastructure teams, it was confirmed that no damage was found to the railway infrastructure. All train journeys that had been temporarily halted have since resumed normal operations.