Gov't urges public to prepare for quakes

MANILA, Philippines - The government yesterday urged the public to prepare for earthquakes as it continues to study the West Valley fault, which is said to be capable of causing a strong temblor that could hit Metro Manila.

Renato Solidum, director of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs), said agencies have sent personnel to determine the fault’s properties and how frequent earthquakes occur in Metro Manila.

“As we speak, the NDRRMC (National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council) is doing many projects, one of which is really studying how large and how often the West Valley fault moves that will affect not only Metro Manila but the surrounding provinces,” he told reporters in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City.

Solidum said scientists from Phivolcs and Geosciences Australia had dug a trench across the West Valley fault since last week.

“Clearly, as we speak we have found very clear traces of the fault in some parts of Metro Manila and we will be able determine in more detail the magnitude and the leads of when the fault is moving,” he said.

“Therefore, based on our study, we must really prepare for strong earthquake in Metro Manila.”

The West Valley Fault, also known as the Marikina fault line, starts from the Sierra Madre and runs through Bulacan, Rodriguez, Rizal, Quezon City, the eastern side of Metro Manila including Pasig, Taguig, Muntinlupa, San Pedro, and Sta. Rosa in Laguna and ends in Carmona, Cavite.

State scientists have claimed that the fault can cause a magnitude 7.2 quake and “is ripe for another major movement.”

“We cannot tell exactly when it (fault) will move because nobody can predict when an earthquake would occur. But if we are going to rely on the data we obtained previously, the fault line moves every 200 to 400 years. The last time it moved was 200 years ago,” Solidum said.

“This means that the period when it (fault line) could move has been reached. But we cannot tell if this would happen in the next few years or if it will take time. What is important is we know this could move and we should prepare,” he added.

Solidum said the Philippines is “really overdue for a strong earthquake.”

“It (magnitude 6.9 earthquake that hit Negros Oriental) happened last Feb. 6 but that will not be the last. Each region, each province in the country would have its own earthquake scenario,” he said.

More than 50 people died during the magnitude 6.9 earthquake that devastated parts of Negros Oriental last month.

Solidum cited the need to conduct more earthquake drills and to ensure that buildings could withstand massive temblors.

The Philippines is vulnerable to earthquakes as it is located in the so-called Pacific Ring of Fire.