Connect with us

Breaking

No stoppage for MRT, LRT for Thursday’s Earthquake Drill

Published

on

MRT3 Shaw Boulevard Station (Photo courtesy of UrbanRail)

MRT3 Shaw Boulevard Station (Photo courtesy of UrbanRail)

MANILA — Railway operations will not be affected by the Metro Manila Earthquake Drill Thursday (July 30) although personnel of the Metro Rail Transit (MRT-3) and the Light Rail Transit (LRT) Lines 1 and 2 will participate in the drill, the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) said in a press release.

The LRT-2 Depot in Santolan will also serve as one of the evacuation camps for the East quadrant, where mock exercises will be held, the department added.

Apart from observing the 45-second “duck, cover, and hold” procedure once sirens sound off tomorrow, the DOTC’s employees and its attached agencies will be implementing measures to ensure the safety and welfare of passengers, if and when the “Big One” strikes.

For the past weeks, airport personnel have been conducting table top exercises for earthquake protocols.

Tomorrow, the DOTC said the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) will distribute information campaign materials to passengers at all the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminals, although airline operations will not be interrupted.

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) Manila Team will deploy one search and rescue vessel, 50 rescue personnel, five rubber boats, medical teams and divers during the drill exercises. The Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) Offices and Manila Port Operators will also participate in the drill and assure passengers that minimal interruption in port operations will be felt.

According to the Safety Tips for motorists by the DOTC – those on the road during the drill are expected to stop for 45 seconds once Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) traffic enforcers give the signal that the drill is in full swing. However, it added that those plying along and below flyovers and in tunnels must keep driving in order to avoid being caught or trapped in these risk areas.

According to Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) Director Renato Solidum, a driver will feel flat tires in a real earthquake. Once this happens, drivers must pull to the side of the road, preferably near an open space and away from tall structures, and stay inside the vehicle until the quake is over.

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Maria in Vancouver

Lifestyle2 weeks ago

Nobody Wants This…IRL (In Real Life)

Just like everyone else who’s binged on Netflix series, “Nobody Wants This” — a romcom about a newly single rabbi...

Lifestyle3 weeks ago

Family Estrangement: Why It’s Okay

Family estrangement is the absence of a previously long-standing relationship between family members via emotional or physical distancing to the...

Lifestyle2 months ago

Becoming Your Best Version

By Matter Laurel-Zalko As a woman, I’m constantly evolving. I’m constantly changing towards my better version each year. Actually, I’m...

Lifestyle2 months ago

The True Power of Manifestation

I truly believe in the power of our imagination and that what we believe in our lives is an actual...

Maria in Vancouver3 months ago

DECORATE YOUR HOME 101

By Matte Laurel-Zalko Our home interiors are an insight into our brains and our hearts. It is our own collaboration...

Maria in Vancouver4 months ago

Guide to Planning a Wedding in 2 Months

By Matte Laurel-Zalko Are you recently engaged and find yourself in a bit of a pickle because you and your...

Maria in Vancouver4 months ago

Staying Cool and Stylish this Summer

By Matte Laurel-Zalko I couldn’t agree more when the great late Ella Fitzgerald sang “Summertime and the livin’ is easy.”...

Maria in Vancouver5 months ago

Ageing Gratefully and Joyfully

My 56th trip around the sun is just around the corner! Whew. Wow. Admittedly, I used to be afraid of...

Maria in Vancouver6 months ago

My Love Affair With Pearls

On March 18, 2023, my article, The Power of Pearls was published. In that article, I wrote about the history...

Maria in Vancouver6 months ago

7 Creative Ways to Propose!

Sometime in April 2022, my significant other gave me a heads up: he will be proposing to me on May...