LINGAYEN—A simultaneous earthquake and tsunami drill will be conducted in all coastal areas in Pangasinan in the face of a warning from the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Philvolcs) that a seven-meter high tsunami may likely hit from the Lingayen Gulf.

Avenix Arenas, spokesperson of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC), said the provincial government is taking the warning from Philvolcs seriously.

Joan Salcedo, Philvolcs research specialist, told the Sangguniang Panlungsod in Dagupan last March 12 that a seven-meter high tsunami could hit the Lingayen Gulf if the active Manila Trench moves and triggers an 8.3 magnitude quake.

Arenas said that since most local government units in Pangasinan could not afford to build an expensive Tsunami Hill such as the one proposed in Dagupan, the alternative is to give people preparedness training on how to respond to a tsunami threat.

In conducting an earthquake and tsunami drill, the PDRRMC of Pangasinan will enlist the support of the regional office of the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) headed by Director Melchito Castro.

The PDRRMC, with OCD, will also draw up an evacuation plan up to the barangay level which will be in effect in case a high-magnitude earthquake and a tsunami strikes.

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