Indonesian University, US Consulate Hold Mentawai Tsunami Seminar

Padang, W.Sumatra (Antara Bali) - The University of Andalas (Unand) Padang in West Sumatra province along with the US Consulate General and the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI) held a research seminar on earthquake and tsunami in Mentawai waters, West Sumatra here Monday.

"The seminar is about the research being conducted by LIPI and Schmidt Ocean Institute (SOI) in the Mentawai waters regarding the potential and risks of the earthquake and tsunami in the region," Head of Unand's International Services Irawati Chaniago said.

She explained this seminar is part of a routine agenda of the university's US Corner to provide an education program for students and academicians.

It also provides information on the development of  earthquake and tsunami potential in Mentawai, which is known as the Mentawai Megatrust.

The seminar was attended by the researchers from SOI Carlie S. Wiener who explained about the activities that are being undertaken on the US research vessel, Falkor.

Wiener gave an opportunity to the academics to have a teleconference with Falkor crew members.

"The participants also get information from the researchers working on the Mentawai tsunami earthquake," he added.

One of the researchers is Paul Taponnier from the Earth Observatory of Singapore (EOS) who explained the potential of collisions between plates that caused the tsunami in Mentawai.

According to Chaniago the seminar strengthens cooperation between Unand and the US Government.

Through the teleconferencing a LIPI researcher Nugroho, who is on Falkor, said that LIPI, SOI and EOS are checking the waters of western Sumatra as an initial survey to study the Mentawai Gap.

Some of the main concerns in the research are to detect the movement of the plates and disaster mitigation, he said. (WDY)