Tsunami, tornado rumors send Batangas folk fleeing

BATANGAS CITY — Thousands of residents, including students of three public schools, scampered to safety after a tsunami and tornado scare spread like wildfire in six barangays in Lian and Nasugbu towns yesterday morning, authorities said.

Dr. Amante Moog, an officer of the Provincial Disaster Coordinating Council (PDCC), said the scare arose from a text message claiming that a tsunami would occur anytime between Sunday night and Monday morning.

The text message sent panic among residents of Barangays San Diego, Luyahan and Matabungkay in Lian town as well as in Barangays Bucana, Wawa and Poblacion in Nasugbu town.

The Nasugbu folk, according to Moog, sought refuge in the St. Francis Xavier Church.

Moog, however, belied the rumors, saying they were just a hoax "fabricated by a sick mind."

In an advisory, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) advised the public not to believe such rumors.

"Phivolcs would like to inform the public that there was no recent strong and shallow earthquake in the vicinity that could cause a tsunami," Phivolcs director Renato Solidum said.

Stressing that Phivolcs is the only government agency mandated to issue official earthquake and tsunami information, Solidum advised the public to confirm with his agency such reports issued by other sources.

The public may contact the Phivolcs’ Seismology Division, which is open 24 hours, at (02) 929-9254 or (02) 426-1468 local 124, or and the Office of the Director at (02) 926-2611.

Quoting their field coordinators, Cynthia Catapang, the PDCC’s community affairs officer, said the tsunami and tornado rumor started over the weekend when an old man reportedly warned the residents of the six barangays that an impending disaster would strike their communities anytime. — With Felix de los Santos and Ed Amoroso