Nationwide simultaneous earthquake drill set on Sept. 10

Due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic, the simultaneous earthquake drill can be viewed online via YouTube and Facebook. (File Photo: DENR)/Facebook)

MANILA — The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) on Tuesday announced the conduct of an online Nationwide Simultaneous Earthquake Drill on Sept. 10 to raise public awareness on disaster preparedness against earthquakes and tests the contingency plans of local disaster risk reduction and management councils (LDRRMCs).

“On September 10 at 2 p.m., there will be a Nationwide Simultaneous Earthquake Drill where individual preparedness will be the focus, by doing the Drop, Cover and Hold approach,” Phivolcs Director Renato Solidum Jr. said in an interview Tuesday.

Due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic, the simultaneous earthquake drill can be viewed online via YouTube and Facebook.

Preliminary activities will start at 1 p.m., showcasing preparedness videos and messages. Participants are also encouraged to answer online scenarios where they will try to assess the proper response, Solidum said.

In a related development, Solidum said they have already recorded 36 aftershocks from the magnitude 6.4 quake that jolted parts of Mindanao late Sunday.

The latest data is as of 10 a.m. Tuesday, with magnitudes ranging from 2 to 3.7.

On Sunday night, strong intensity V, which is generally felt by people indoors and outdoors, was recorded in Don Marcelino and Malita, Davao Occidental; Glan, Malapatan, and Alabel, Sarangani; and General Santos City.

The tectonic quake’s epicenter was 26 kilometers southeast of Don Marcelino, Davao Occidental.

Phivolcs’ earthquake bulletin indicated that damage is not expected despite the strong intensity felt.

“Intensity V is not damaging yet on our scale. Damage starts at intensity VI,” Solidum explained.

Meanwhile, he said the strong earthquake has no relation to the magnitude 6.6 Masbate earthquake that jolted the province last August 18. Earlier, he said that this earthquake was caused by the movement of the Masbate segment of the Philippine Fault Zone.

The magnitude 6.4 Davao Occidental quake, on the other hand, was caused by the subduction of the Molucca Sea Plate in Mindanao. Subduction is the diving of one plate beneath another, he said.

“There are many subduction zones in the Philippines. On its eastern side, the Philippine Sea Plates subducts (dives) to the west underneath Luzon to Mindanao from Bicol to Davao Oriental. On its western side, the West Philippine Sea subducts to the east underneath West Luzon to Mindoro, the Sulu Sea subducts to the east beneath Negros to Tawi-Tawi and the Celebes Sea subducts to the east beneath western Mindano. In southern Mindanao, the subduction of the Molucca Sea Plate from Indonesia extends beneath Mindanao,” Solidum added.

With the recent events and the conduct of the earthquake drill, Solidum said the public should prepare for strong earthquakes, while also protecting themselves from the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).