Thank God indeed!

A magnitude 7.6 earthquake hit the eastern part of the country last Friday. Its epicenter was placed more than a hundred kilometers east of the island of Samar, in the Pacific Ocean. Because of this, tsunami warnings were issued by Phivolcs, especially for coastal communities along the eastern borders of the country. Several centers in other parts of the world also picked up the strong tremor and issued similar tsunami warnings to other countries like Japan and Taiwan. Thank God, the earthquake did not create the giant waves normally associated with this strong a tremor! Wave heights were not enough to be classified into a tsunami, so Phivolcs promptly removed all warnings, allowing those residents who heeded them to return to their homes.

To give it some perspective, the 2004 earthquake that caused the tsunamis that hit Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India and Thailand, was a 9.1-9.3. That earthquake caused massive and widespread tsunamis that devastated the coastlines of the said countries. So why was the country spared from a similar fate, if the epicenter of the quake was also deep in the ocean? Phivolcs had an explanation as to why an earthquake of this magnitude was not as destructive for the country.

First, the epicenter was in the ocean. An epicenter on land would have been devastating at this magnitude, as proven in the past. The 1990 Luzon earthquake was a magnitude 7.8, just a few notches above the eastern Samar quake! The images of toppled buildings in Baguio and Cabanatuan are enough to strike fear into anyone’s heart! Second, the eastern Samar quake was a side-to-side movement of plates, and not a vertical one. Had that been a vertical movement earthquake, tsunamis would have come speeding towards the eastern borders of the country, and we would be all over the world news! I can just imagine some of the smaller islands momentarily disappearing as the tsunamis would hit! Thank God indeed that these two factors came into play, sparing the country from widespread death and destruction.

It is good that people heeded the warnings of Phivolcs and left their home for higher ground. At least we know that they are already conditioned not to take these warnings lightly. The tsunamis of the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and the March 11 Japan quake were enough to convince people that tsunamis are not to be taken lightly. I can only hope and pray that earthquakes that eventually hit the country are always of this kind. I have been fearful that we would be the next country hit by a big one, since most of our Pacific Ring of Fire neighbors have already had their share of earthquake-related disasters! I’m not so sure if we are prepared for that kind of widespread death and destruction, especially in the provinces! An early warning and detection system for tsunamis is our best protection, along with a conditioned population that responds to these warning without question.

But Phivols Director Renato Solidum stresses the need to be prepared for earthquakes, as they will definitely occur in this country. Every household must have a good supply of the basic needs such as food and water, clothing and medicine, and other things such as flashlights, a radio and even matches. Indeed, nothing is more terrifying than a strong earthquake hitting the very place where you and your family live. But being prepared for that eventuality is already half the battle won.

Nothing wrong with being just a little paranoid, don’t you think?