Valley fault maps to prepare public for big one

MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) has uploaded valley fault maps on its website to enable people to prepare for an earthquake or any disaster that may occur in their areas.

The Valley Fault System (VFS) Atlas may now be downloaded from the DOST-Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) website at  www.phivolcs.dost.gov.ph.

As of December 2015, the DOST-Phivolcs counted 99,609 registered downloads.

Science Secretary Mario Montejo said making the maps available to the public would encourage people to be aware of the exposure of their respective communities to the dangers of valley fault movements and allow them to make the necessary preparations for earthquake and other disasters.

He said disaster preparedness could spell a big difference, especially when the “Big One” (earthquake) comes.

“The VFS Atlas will be our guide to making our communities safe and secure from the negative effects of an earthquake. By making our people aware of the hazards, they can plan and implement programs like earthquake drills or retrofitting of houses,” Montejo said.

“We cannot stop natural hazards from coming, but we can prepare to avert disasters from happening,” he said.

An earthquake with a magnitude of no less than 7.2 on the Richter scale may occur in Metro Manila due to the presence of the so-called West Valley Fault, volcanologists said.

Phivolcs cited specific locations that are considered most vulnerable to earthquake because of their proximity to the West Valley Fault.

The West Valley Fault system is an imaginary line marking the area where the different fault systems are located underground and are actively moving from where a big earthquake may originate.

The VFS is an active fault system composed of two segments – the 10-kilometer long East Valley Fault in Rizal and the 100-km long West Valley Fault that runs through different cities and towns of Bulacan, Rizal, Metro Manila, Cavite and Laguna.

The WVF can generate a large earthquake with a magnitude of 7.2, commonly known as The Big One, which poses threat to people, livelihood, buildings and infrastructure.

DOST-Phivolcs studies and researches on fault systems have resulted in a collection of maps called the VFS Atlas which was printed on a handbook of large-scale maps showing in detail areas traversed by the VFS.

The atlas can now be downloaded from the website of DOST-Phivolcs for free.

The VFS Atlas, a tedious work done by our geologists from DOST-Phivolcs, was launched and distributed to local government officials on May 18, 2015.

Phivolcs has also given out 1,506 soft copies to disseminate information to as many people as it can and generate awareness for the need to prepare.