Disaster risk reduction agency holds third quarter nationwide quake drill

August 16, 2018

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) held a third quarter Nationwide Simultaneous Earthquake Drill with the ceremonial area at Plaza Burgos, Vigan City, Ilocos Sur on Thursday.

Drills in other areas in the Philippines commenced at the same time as the Vigan event.

The drill, which began at 2 pm, saw hundreds of residents along Plaza Burgos performing the duck, cover and hold as an initial response to a magnitude 7.2 earthquake generated along the Abra River Fault with Intensity VIII. The scenario was derived from the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) earthquake intensity scale.

Various scenarios during the drill focused on the impact of the earthquake to the Heritage Village of Vigan City.

Search, rescue and retrieval operations, fire suppression, vehicle extrication, looting incident, collapsed structure and high angle rescue were among other incidents depicted.

NDRRMC executive director and Civil Defense administrator Ricardo Jalad graced quake drill as guest of honor and speaker.

Jalad along with Ilocos Sur Governor Ryan Luis V Singson, Vigan City Mayor Juan Carlo Medina, Director Rodolfo Encabo, Department of Social Welfare and Development and Deputy Director Bartolome Bautista, Department of Science and Technology-Phivolcs joined in pressing the ceremonial button at 2 pm, signalling the start of the exercise, simultaneous in all the regional pilot areas nationwide.

“It is better to be redundant in our preparations than be caught flat-footed. The lives of millions are literally at stake, and we should never leave it to chance. Let us make disaster-preparedness part of our consciousness and regular habits,” said Jalad in his message. DMS