THE Office of Civil Defense (OCD) in Region 1 activated its contingency plan in 16 local governments units (LGUs) in Pangasinan, covering 266 coastal barangays, amid the potential threat of a tsunami if the Manila Trench in the West Philippine Sea moves at 8.4 magnitude.

Tsunami wave heights are projected to range from seven to 11.9 meters in Pangasinan, while Bolinao facing the WPS is forecasted to have a wave height of 11 meters.

Based on the Region 1 Contingency Plan, the worst-case scenario for tsunami indicates that parts of central and western Pangasinan may face flooding exceeding six meters, the same wave heights projected for La Union.

Earthquakes continued to rock Region 1, the latest of which was a 5.6 magnitude tremor in Bangui, Ilocos Norte on December 30, 2024, which the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) traced to be related to the Manila Trench.

There were also 55 earthquakes recorded since December 17 off Sta. Catalina, Ilocos Sur, prompting OCD and Phivolcs to call an online press conference to call on LGUs to ramp up their preparations for a possible tsunami in Region 1.

OCD announced in a Facebook post shared by DILG Pangasinan that contingency plans have also been activated in 13 LGUs of La Union with 247 barangays, and 19 LGUs in Ilocos Sur with 248 barangays.

The local governments have been advised to identify safe grounds that are beyond the forecasted wave height of the tsunami, and to map out areas that may be at risk of inundation.

The Department of Health also called on LGUs to set up separate tsunami evacuation centers in addition to those designated for tropical typhoons. (Leonardo Micua)  

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