PDRRMO wary of Manila Trench than the ‘Big One’

By July 15, 2019Headlines, News

LINGAYEN–In preparation for tsunami in case of a magnitude 8.2 earthquake in the Manila Trench, some 100 kilometers west of Bolinao in the West Philippine Sea, the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) continues to conduct tsunami evacuation drills in Pangasinan’s coastal areas.

This was bared by Rhodyn Luchinvar Oro, PDRRMO chief, during the inaugural program of the Talakayan sa Kapitolyo (Pangasinan in Action) at the Urduja House on July 8.

Oro said the recent big tremors that recently hit California, USA, Indonesia and other countries within the Pacific Ring of Fire, have alarmed residents of Pangasinan, afraid of the possibility of a big quake hitting the Philippines.

Oro said the the ”Ligtas at Aktibong Mamamayan” information-education program teaches residents in coastal areas where to seek refuge before the tsunami hits land.

The PDRRMO is set to hold a coastal summit in Bani, and a disaster drill in the disaster-prone barangays of Urbiztondo in observance of the National Disaster Risk Resiliency Month.

According to Oro, what is worrisome is the Manila Trench, located some 100 kilometers west of Bolinao in the West Philippine Sea, which the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said has the capacity to generate an 8.2 magnitude earthquake when it moves.

Philvolcs already installed tsunami warning devices in Bolinao and Dagupan that are instantly activated when it detects an oncoming tsunami.

At the same time, he said Philvolcs and the management of the San Roque dam assured that the dam can withstand a high-magnitude earthquake.

The PDRRMO has produced maps for barangays’ reference, so residents will know dangerous areas that they must avoid.

Meanwhile, he lamented that because of the change of leadership in many towns and cities,

many trained municipal or city disaster risk reduction and management officers were replaced by new ones who need to be trained.

He called on new mayors to retain the trained staff in their towns.

To preclude constant turnover of trained staff, the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC) will file an appeal to the Civil Service Commission (CSC) to make the positions of CDRRMOs and MDRRMOs permanent and whose appointees can only be removed from office for cause. (Leonardo Micua)     

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