Earthquake Preparedness Guide

CEBU, Philippines - Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology director Dr. Renato Solidum, in an interview over "State of the Nation" hosted by Jessica Soho of NewsTV (Ch. 27 in Cebu) last March 15 told viewers that in order to be fully prepared in the even of an earthquake, of which onset cannot be predicted despite modern technology, we must observe the following tips on what to do before, during and after the tremor.

According to him, the key to effective disaster prevention is planning. Therefore, the public is advised to:

• Know the earthquake hazards in our area (see ACTIVE FAULTS below).

• Follow structural design and engineering practices when constructing a house or building.

• Evaluate the structural soundness of buildings and houses; strengthen or retrofit if necessary.

Prepare our homes, workplace or schools by:

• Strapping or bolting heavy furniture/cabinets to the walls.

• Checking the stability of hanging objects like ceiling fans and chandeliers.

• Storing properly in the lowermost secured shelves of breakable items, harmful chemicals and flammable materials.

He added that we are to familiarize ourselves with the exit routes. "Know where fire extinguishers, first aid kit, alarms, and communication facilities are located. Learn how to use them beforehand," he added.

We are also advised to prepare a handy emergency supply kit with first aid kit, canned food products and can opener, water, clothing, blanket, battery-operated radio, flashlights and extra batteries.

Conduct and participate in regular earthquake drills, Dr. Solidum emphasized.

During

Stay calm. When you are INSIDE a structurally sound building or home, stay there!

• If possible, quickly open the door for exit.

• Duck under a sturdy desk or table, and hold on to it, or protect your head with your arms.

• Stay away from glass windows, shelves, cabinets and other heavy objects.

• Beware of falling objects. Be alert and keep your eyes open.

If you're OUTSIDE...move to an open area!

• Stay away from trees, power lines, posts and concrete structures.

• Move away from steep slopes which may be affected by landslides.

• If you're near the shore and feel an earthquake, especially if it's too strong, move quickly to higher grounds. Tsunamis might follow.

If you're in a moving vehicle, STOP and get out! Do not attempt to cross bridges, overpasses, or flyovers which may have been damaged.

After

• Be prepared for aftershocks. Once the shaking stops, take the fastest and safest way out of the building.

• Don't use elevators. Don't enter damaged buildings. Don't use telephones unless necessary. Don't panic.

• Check yourself and others for injuries; check water and electrical lines for damages; for spills of chemical, toxic and flammable materials; and control fires which may spread.

• If you need to evacuate from your residence, leave a message stating where you are going and bring your emergency supply kit.

• Keep updated on disaster prevention instructions from battery-operated radios.

Active Faults

The 1,200-km-long Philippine fault zone is a major tectonic feature that transects the whole Philippine archipelago from northwestern Luzon to southeastern Mindanao.

This arc-parallel, left-lateral strike slip fault is divided into several segments and has been the source of large-magnitude earthquakes in recent years, such as the 1973 Ragay Gulf Earthquake (Magnitude 7.0), 1990 Luzon Earthquake (M 7.7) and 2003 Masbate Earthquake (M 6.2). The high seismic risk posed by this fault zone requires a large-scale active faults map, a fundamental data set for seismic hazard mitigation.

Since 2003, Kyoto University and PHIVOLCS-DOST have been mapping the Philippine Fault. At present, approximately 90 percent of on-land-stretch of the PFZ has been mapped. This delineation is based on interpretation of available large-scale (at least 1:30,000) aerial photographs. In areas where there are no available aerial photographs, various satellite images are used to map the fault zone. The identified surface traces of the PFZ are then plotted onto 1:50,000 topographic maps published by NAMRIA (National Mapping and Resource Information Authority) and compiled using commonly used Geographic Information System platforms such as MapInfo Professional and Generic Mapping Tool. These active fault maps are now available at www.phivolcs.dost.gov.ph and upon request to PHIVOLCS-DOST.

This project is a work in progress: field mapping and paleoseismic investigation have been done along the left-stepping en echelon faults: San Manuel, San Jose, Digdig, and Gabaldon in Central Luzon; Surigao fault and Compostela Valley area in Eastern Mindanao. Ongoing studies are now being done in Guinayangan, Infanta and the rest of Eastern Mindanao while detailed investigation will be conducted in Leyte and Masbate Islands in the future, according to a July 2010 post.