Inp.polri.go.id - Padang. Indonesia must remain vigilant against the threat of massive earthquakes and tsunamis from two of its most dangerous megathrust zones, according to Prof. Fauzan of Andalas University in Padang, West Sumatra.

“Out of 12 megathrust segments in Indonesia, two carry the highest risk: the Sunda Strait Megathrust and the Mentawai-Siberut Megathrust,” he said at a disaster risk workshop in Padang on Saturday (17/9/2025).

He added that both zones sit on the Pacific Ring of Fire, where the Indo-Australian, Eurasian, and Pacific plates converge, generating intense seismic activity.

The Mentawai-Siberut zone, Prof. Fauzan noted, is considered one of the world’s most hazardous seismic gaps. Since powerful quakes in 1797 and 1833, the area has not released major energy, raising fears of a future magnitude-9 event.

Historical records show those quakes devastated Padang and killed thousands. 

“The potential is real and we must anticipate it,” Prof. Fauzan stressed

(mg/inp/pr/rs)