Image
© mariusz kluzniak
A magnitude 5.5 earthquake shook Abepura, Indonesia at 23:20 UTC. The tremor reached 1078 km to Papua New Guinea, which has experienced several tremors already.

Both Indonesia and Papua New Guinea are on "Green Alert," this means people are unlikely to have been injured and there was little to no damage. This area is prone to earthquakes because they are on the boundary of the Australia-Pacific plate, which experiences a great deal of seismic activity. However, the many tremors that have impacted Indonesia and Papua New Guinea have caused landslides and other secondary hazards. This can cause not only loss of lives but a loss in the economy of these countries.

Due to the certainty of seismic activity, both countries must ensure the structure of their buildings by reinforcements that can resist the shaking from earthquakes. The reinforced buildings are able to withstand earthquakes, contribute to public safety, and the economy.

Earthquake insurance can diminish the impact on people and reduce the effect on the economy. In order to improve the environment so it can withstand tremors would require more research. The research needs to cover at least the complete list of the effects of the tremors. Additionally, there needs to be improvement in structural design. According to scientist, it is important to study the many different types of damage created by earthquakes.

Sources:

Earthquake USGS: Hazard & Risk Assessment

Earthquake USGS: M5.5-37 km W of Abepura, Indonesia

Featured Image and Top Image Courtesy of mariusz kluzniak's Flickr Page - Creative Commons License