Mysterious Booms Near Mount Pandan in Bojonegoro: Here’s What the BMKG Says

The Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) has stated that no seismic activity has been detected in the vicinity of Mount Pandan, Bojonegoro, East Java.

The statement was made by Setiyaris, a Senior Meteorological and Geophysical Observer (PMG) at the BMKG’s Nganjuk office, regarding a loud, mysterious boom heard in the vicinity of the mountain on Sunday (18 October).

“Based on our remit at the BMKG, there has been no seismic activity occurring around Mount Pandan,” he said on Monday (19 October), as quoted by Detikcom.

According to Setiyaris, the source of the loud boom needs to be further verified as there are many possible causes.

“In theory, one possible explanation for the mysterious boom heard in a particular area is an acoustic wave resulting from tectonic or volcanic activity. Put simply, the release of energy within the Earth can generate vibrations that travel through rock and, under certain conditions, trigger pressure waves in the air,” he explained.

Setiyaris said that these sound or infrasonic waves can travel long distances, undergoing refraction and reflection by atmospheric layers, and thus be heard at locations far from their source.

“However, not all booms originate from tectonic or volcanic activity. Atmospheric phenomena, lightning, human activity and shock waves can also produce similar sounds. To determine the source, it is necessary to correlate seismic and infrasound data, atmospheric conditions and field observation reports,” said Setiyaris.

Previously, a loud boom heard around Mount Pandan, on the border between Bojonegoro and Madiun, caught the attention of local residents.

A number of residents in the area claimed to have heard the boom on Sunday (18/12/2026) evening. This phenomenon was subsequently widely discussed on social media.

One of those who posted about the phenomenon was the TikTok account @sugeng_info. This post was subsequently flooded with reports from residents claiming to have heard the boom.

Residents reporting this came from a number of areas, ranging from Madiun, Bojonegoro and Tuban to Nganjuk.

One social media user, @Tukiman Bakso, claimed to have heard a loud boom at around 6.30 pm WIB in the Petung, Pajaran, Saradan area. However, he stated that he did not see a meteor, as suggested in a video linked to the phenomenon.

“Around half past seven in the evening, there was indeed a loud boom in the Petung, Pajaran, Saradan area, but there was no meteor like the one in that video. I reckon the boom came from the shifting of tectonic plates; that’s what the BMKG said 😂,” he said.

Meanwhile, the account @bangfey5431 stated that the boom was heard as far as the Bojonegoro area.

“Lots of people heard it, even as far as the eastern tip of Bojonegoro, but why are there no signs of anything?” he said.