Best seismic station in PHL is in San Manuel
SAN MANUEL—The best seismic station in the Philippines was installed by the San Roque Power Corporation which operates the hydro-power plant here inside a tunnel leading to the San Roque Dam.
Philippine Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) Director Renato Solidum revealed this during a forum following the successful holding last Monday of an earthquake drill with a scenario of a “dam break” in Barangay San Vicente.
“The most beautiful in the entire Philippines is here in Pangasinan installed in 2012,” Solidum said, adding that it is located inside a tunnel in a very remote area.
For his part, Tom Valdez, vice president for Corporate Social Responsibility of the San Roque Dam, allayed fears of residents of a possible dam break in case of strong earthquake despite the drill.
Valdez said the design factor of the dam can withstand a 7.8 magnitude earthquake and, quoting Solidum, he pointed out that the San Manuel fault line in this town, which is inactive, is about seven kilometers away from the dam.
He added the design of the dam is resilient and made of materials that are impermeable.
“So probably if it (earthquake) is really strong, there could be only subsidence but would not cause dam break,” Valdez said.
Meanwhile, Solidum said the Philvocs also installed its own seismic station via satellite in their office in Quezon City.
He said Phivolcs also intend to put up 300 intensity meters all over the Philippines.–Eva Visperas
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