Nationwide earthquake drill held

June 29, 2017

A nationwide earthquake was held on Thursday as authorities instructed residents to prepare for an intensity 7 earthquake, In Davao City, at 2 pm, authorities, led Ricardo Jalad, executive director of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, pressed the button where residents followed procedures on what to do if a big earthquake strikes. Similar exercises were done in 17 regions, with the drills lasting one hour. Thousands of participants from government, non-government organizations, private and business sectors, academe, media practitioners and private individuals did the duck, cover, hold  to support the government’s nationwide campaign for disaster preparedness. “Preparedness for large scale disasters such as strong earthquakes need a whole of society effort. The regular conduct of an earthquake drill is necessary so that the public’s awareness and preparedness is improved, and response plans of local government and organizations are tested and refined,” said Undersecretary Renato Solidum Jr., who heads the Philippine Institute of Volcanolgy and Seismology. In Davao City, the scenario was a 7.0 quake which caused massive damage to structures and various scenarios were shown like medical airlift, mass casualty due to explosion, high angle rescue, fires, collapsed structure and looting. In Quezon City, around 1,000 police personnel, firemen, the  Quezon City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, and  Red Cross Quezon City chapter participated in the drill. Senior Superintendent Crizaldo Nieves, Quezon City police deputy district director for administration said; "I think its successful since the people participated although we have noted lapses  that we have to improve".. Nieves said the "big one" will destroy bridges, buildings, skyways in Metro Manila with hundred of fires  expected. Around 125,000 people may die and the 100,000 more people may suffer injuries, he added. Bureau of Fire Protection chief of peration Michael Salvacion of Station 3 said time should be minimized because the alarm took three minutes in the Quezon City Police District earthquake drill. "The three minutes alarm, that is so long because usually earthquakes does not last for three minutes because if it lasted for three minutes that building will collapse", he said. Nieves said the big one is stronger than the 7.6 magnitude earthquake in Baguio in1990 where a hotel collapsed, and bridges were destroyed in effect cutting off the city from other areas. Mariefin Joy Rosales, special operation support in Quezon City said in a text message to the Daily Manila Shimbun  SM Novaliches, SM City North Edsa and other barangays joined the earthquake drill. She said the drill in SM Novaliches took 10 minutes and 1298 participants participated  quoting an officer of the mall. "I observed that they're well prepared for the drill", Rosales said. (Alanna Ambi/DMS)