CEBU CITY, Philippines — After the 7.4 magnitude earthquake (initially reported as 6.9 earlier) struck the coasts off of Hinatuan town in Surigao del Sur on late Saturday evening, December 2, an official from Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology in Central Visayas (Phivolcs-7) urged Cebuanos not to be complacent.
Engineer Robinson Jorgio, Phivolcs-7 director, said that the public should always be ready and brace for the earthquakes in the country.
READ: Tsunami alert lifted after magnitude 6.9 quake hit Surigao del Sur — Phivolcs
Prepare for earthquakes
“Always and all the time, [dapat] ready gyud ta…Kanus-a man diay ta magsugod og pagpangandam? Kung nahuman na ta naigo?” Jorgio said.
(Always and all the time, [We should] be ready always…when then should we start to prepare? when we are already hit?)
With this, he urged the public to be always prepared for the earthquakes and reminded them that they should not panic when that would happen.
He also noted that the Surigao earthquake was stronger than the 2013 Bohol earthquake which had a magnitude of 7.2.
READ: Strong earthquake hits Surigao del Sur, tsunami alert issued by Phivolcs
Do not be complacent
With this, he said that people should not be complacent even if Surigao del Sur is far from Cebu.
“Ang atong gikahadlokan, dili ang fault, dili ang rupture, ang buak sa yuta nga muigo sa atong balay, dili mao na atong gikahadlokan. Ang ground shaking mao na atong ginabantayan kanunay. Mao nay pinakadapat bantayan kay tanan man gud ta maapektuhan, wa manay exempted,” Jorgio.
(What we should fear, is not the fault, not the rapture, the break in the ground that will hit our house, it should not be the only thing that we fear. The ground shaking that is what we should always monitor. That is what we should always monitor because this involves all, all of us will be affected, no one is exempted.)
When an earthquake occurs, people should not panic because it might be the reason for getting injuries.
READ: Magnitude 6.9 quake jolts Hinatuan in Surigao del Sur, tremors felt in Cebu
earthquake drills
He said this was why that the earthquake drills conducted in schools, and other government units must be exercised when the actual earthquake occurs.
“Ang tama nga response is duck, cover, and hold…pagkahuman sa shaking, kung kailangan e-vacate ang building, mao na ang time nga mo evacuation na. Pero og naay nag manage sa building, depende nana sa nagmanage sa building to prepare for evacuation. Di ta mag una-una para di ta mag cause og panic sa uban,” he said.
(The right response is duck, cover and hold…after the shaking, if you need to vacate the building, that will be the time for evacuation already. But if there is someone who manages the building, it will depend on the one managing the building to prepare for evacuation. We should not run ahead so that we cannot cause panic to others.)
He also mentioned that he had seen a lot of videos recorded in CCTVs that showed people immediately running while the shaking was ongoing, which should not be the right thing to do.
READ: Tsunami alert lifted after magnitude 7.4 quake hit Surigao del Sur — Phivolcs
Preparedness
On the other hand, he also acknowledged it could not be avoided for people to panic because it was a common reaction of people.
Jorgio said that Phivolcs here had been well-equipped already to detect earthquakes in the future and the public should not worry about it.
And as part of preparedness, people can check the vulnerability of their houses via online through answering a series of questions for free.
Should the public want to check how safe their house is, they can visit https://howsafeismyhouse.phivolcs.dost.gov.ph/ and after answering the questions, the score and evaluation of their house will be given.
Among the questions that will be asked to the public will cover who built and designed the house, the year it was made, and the materials used to construct it.
“Mas maayo nga magpakabana gyud ta. Bintaha sad na, preparedness. Pagpangandam sa mga katalagman,” he said.
(We should always be concerned and vigilant. That will be an advantage, preparedness. Preparing for calamities.)
READ: Another earthquake rattles Surigao del Sur, 2 hours after 6.9 magnitude quake hit the area
Reported Intensities:
At 9:53 a.m. Phivolcs gave an update on the latest recorded magnitude along with the intensities of the earthquake.
And as of 8 a.m. on Sunday, Phivolcs said that they recorded a total of 542 aftershocks with the magnitude ranging from 1.5 to 6.2.
The following are the reported intensities:
Intensity VII – City of Tandag, Surigao del Sur
Intensity VI – Maco, and Monkayo, Davao de Oro; Bayabas City of Bislig, and Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur
Intensity V – City of Borongan, Eastern Samar; Palo, Leyte, City of Cagayan de Oro; Nabunturan, Davao de Oro; City of Tagum, Davao del Norte; City of Davao; City of Cabadbaran, Agusan del Norte; Esperanza, and Talacogon, Agusan del Sur
Intensity IV – Duero and Garcia Hernandez, Bohol; City of Mandaue; Abuyog, Alangalang, City of Baybay, Burauen, Dulag, Hilongos, Jaro, Javier, Julita, La Paz, Macarthur, Mahaplag, Mayorga, Pastrana, Santa Fe, Tabontabon, Tanauan, and Tolosa, Leyte; City of Tacloban; Anahawan, Bontoc, Hinunangan, Liloan, Limasawa, Malitbog, Padre Burgos, San Francisco, San Juan, Silago, and Sogod, Southern Leyte; City of Valencia, Bukidnon; City of Iligan; City of Digos, and Magsaysay, Davao del Sur; Alabel, and Malungon, Sarangani; Tupi, South Cotabato; City of General Santos; City of Surigao, Surigao del Norte; Lanuza, and Tago, Surigao del Sur.
Intensity III – City of Tagbilaran, Bohol; Carigara, and Leyte, Leyte; City of Maasin, Southern Leyte; City of Dapitan, Zamboanga del Norte; Molave, Zamboanga del Sur; Kalilangan, Libona, Malitbog, San Fernando, and Talakag, Bukidnon; Santa Cruz, Davao del Sur; Don Marcelino, and Jose Abad Santos, Davao Occidental; Alamada, Arakan, Banisilan, Kabacan, City of Kidapawan, Libungan, M’lang, Makilala, Matalam, President Roxas, and Tulunan, Cotabato; Glan, Kiamba, Maasim, Maitum, and Malapatan, Sarangani; Banga, City of Koronadal, Norala, Polomolok, and Tampakan, South Cotabato; President Quirino, Sultan Kudarat; Datu Odin Sinsuat, and Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao; City of Cotabato
Intensity Il – Argao, Cebu; Calubian, Leyte; Saint Bernard, Southern Leyte; City of Dipolog, Zamboanga del Norte; Baungon, Cabanglasan, Damulog, Dangcagan, Kadingilan, Manolo Fortich, and Pangantucan, Bukidnon; City of El Salvador, Misamis Oriental; Matanao, Davao del Sur; Santo Niño, Surallah, and T’boli, South Cotabato; Bagumbayan, Columbio, Esperanza, Isulan, Kalamansig, Lambayong, Lebak, Lutayan, and City of Tacurong, Sultan Kudarat
Intensity I – Laoang, Northern Samar; Liloy, and President Manuel A. Roxas, Zamboanga Del Norte; Villanueva, Misamis Oriental; Lake Sebu, South Cotabato.
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