POSSIBLITY OF EARTHQUAKES AND VOLCANOES IN PAHANG

Earthquake is a sudden movement of the earth͛s crust, which originates naturally at the surface
or below the surface. There are two factors of earthquakes, which are; it can be linked to explosive
volcanic eruptions. This factors very common in areas of volcanic activity where they either accompany
or proceed eruptions .secondly, it can be triggered by tectonic activity associated with plate margins and
faults. Almost earthquakes in the world are of this type.

Geologists call the origin of the earthquakes is the focus. But, this is often deep below the
surface and difficult to map, the location of the earthquake is often referred to as the point on the earth
surface directly above the focus. This point is called ͚ epicenter ͛. People who lives on the epicenter will
have a big effect from the shaking. Mostly it will cause damage of building structure and also can cause
death. Earthquakes is a 3-dimensional events. This produces three different types of waves which are P-
waves, S- waves, and L- waves.

Malaysia is a country on Eurasian plate. Earthquakes in Malaysia still not reached the higher
level which is not damage any place in the earthquakes area. Geologists believe that Malaysia is not
along plate boundaries which is called pacific ring of fire. So we do not have any possibility of
earthquakes to happen. Malaysia Department of Meteorology (JMM) have 17 station which can detect
any movement of earthquakes in Malaysia. To detecting earthquakes, they used seismometers, or
seismographs. This machines can record the movement automatically.

Since 2007, 40 weak earthquakes detected in Malaysia.37 of this occur in Bentong , Pahang, 3 in
Manjung Perak and Jerantut Pahang. From November 2007 until 2009, 29 movement of earthquakes in
Bentong Pahang. Rate between 1.1 until 2.8 Richter Scale. Richter scale is a scale exist for defining the
strength or magnitude of the shockwaves. Measurement magnitude of earthquakes from 1.0 until 10.0
Richter Scale. Earthquakes with 1.0 Richter Scale can occur every day and cannot detected. But
earthquakes from 7.0 until 10.0 is a strong earthquakes.

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 Director of Malaysia Department of Meteorology, Dr Rosaidi Che Abbas said, since November
2007 until May 2008, 29 earthquakes detected in Bentong area. This is because Bentong located at the
lines of earthquakes. The latest case is on 8 October 2009 , record frequently earthquakes, which are 8
movement from 4.45 am until 12.05 pm. Magnitude is in between 1.1 and 2.8 Richter Scale. All of this
earthquakes detected area Bukit Tinggi and Janda Baik which have fault lines measure 15 kilometer
width and 70 kilometer length. However , in may 2008, earthquakes station detect earthquakes more
stronger than previous one which is 3.5 Richter Scale.

͞ What we can say is although Bukit Tinggi and Janda Baik located on the fault line, it will not
over 5.0 Richter Scale and it is means, if earthquakes was happened, it will not cause damaged on the
building structure.͟ ( Dr Rosaidi Che Abbas,2009).The Department of Meteorology also confirmed that
fault line not in Titiwangsa Range. As we know Titiwangsa Range is a backbone of peninsular Malaysia
which organize from north to south peninsular. So if the epicenter of the earthquakes is over there, the
impact is worst. Resident of both area always feel the vibration when bigger magnitude of earthquakes
occur in neighbor country ;Indonesia. When the earthquakes occur in West Sumatera on 30 September
2009, the resident in Bentong was panic when the ground shaking and move, impact from the
earthquakes.

So far, earthquakes in Pahang occur in between 1 mile to 10 mile under the earth surface. Only
two earthquakes at 2.8 and 3.5 Richter Scale at 10 mile under the earth surface. Earthquakes what was
happen in Bukit Tinggi is just a stabilizing process of rock structure in fault zone of Bukit Tinggi. This
process occurred from crush of rocks that form by earthquakes with a big magnitude a years before. For
an examples, earthquakes in Aceh, Indonesia( 26 December 2004), and Padang, Indonesia ( 30
September 2009).

An earthquakes always related to the volcanoes. When volcanoes occur, magma rises through
the earth͛s crust and reaches the surface. To reaches this surface, the magma must find a weakness in
the crustal rocks on either the land or under the sea. That is why volcano also occur on sea base.

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Tsunami that occur in 2004 is because of the volcanoes erupt under the sea near to Aceh, Indonesia.
The disaster cause of many death in Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, India and Indonesia.

Most of the volcanoes occur close to or at the edges of tectonic plates.͟ The pacific ring of fire ͞ is the
line of active volcanoes and includes more than 75% of the world active volcanoes. The pacific ring of
fire are found along plate margins from new Zealand, along the eastern edge of Asia, then north through
the Aleutian islands( Alaska), and south down the coast of north and south America.

Hundred years ago, Malaysia is a volcanic area. That is why at Pantai Batu Hitam we found
many basalt rock near the beach. Normally, basalt is a darker color rock. Basalt rocks are form from
basaltic magma. So we can conclude that Pahang have volcanoes long time ago. However, with time, the
plates move slowly and brought Malaysia far from plate boundaries.

As we know that volcanoes are created along the plate boundaries, we can assume that places
with have extinct volcanoes like Malaysia must once have been positioned on a plate margin, even if
now they are well away from one. It is possible for place to have once been on the edge of a plate and
now away from one because the plates that make surface of the earth are moving slowly, and have
been doing so for millions of years. This process is called continental drift.

Volcanoes located at the mountain area, such as in the middle of West Java. In Pahang, we also
have a lot of mountain and range of Titiwangsa. But we do not have volcanoes here. Malaysia located on
Eurasian plate which is not created along the plate boundaries.however,volcanologist cannot yet predict
a volcanic eruption, although they are well aware of these process. However, they have made significant
advances in forecasting volcanic eruptions. Forecasting involves probable character and time of
eruption in a monitored volcano. Although Malaysia nowadays do not have volcanoes, the character of
an eruption is based on the prehistoric and historic record of the volcano.

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REFERENCES.

1.? Geography Site, ( 2006, May 15 ).What causes a volcano to erupt and how do scientists predict
eruptions?. Retrieved from http://www.geography-
site.co.uk/pages/physical/earth/volcanoes/ring%20of%fire.html

2.? Geography Site, ( 2006, February 22). What causes an earthquake?. Retrieved from
http://www.geography-site.co.uk/pages/physical/earth/cause.html

3.? Kementerian Perdagangan Dalam Negeri, Koperasi dan Kepenggunaan, ( 2010, August 23
).penjelasan jabatan meteorology. Retrieved from http://
www.kpdnkk.gov.my/index.php?option=com_content&task+ view&id=14098&itemid=46

4.? Wikipedia, ( 2010, March 11). Gempa bumi di Malaysia. Retrieved from
http://ms.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gempa bumi di Malaysia

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