Residents of Metro Manila and nearby provinces should prepare for the “Big One,” a magnitude 7.2 earthquake to be generated by the West Valley Fault, which is ripe for movement.
State seismologists have repeatedly warned the public that the West Valley Fault is ripe for movement.
The West Valley Fault, Solidum said, moves roughly every 400 years. The last major earthquake generated by this fault was in 1658 or 357 years ago.
The 100-kilometer fault traverses parts of Bulacan through Quezon City, Marikina, Makati, Pasig, Taguig and Muntinlupa in Metro Manila; San Pedro, Biñan, Sta. Rosa, Cabuyao and Calamba in Laguna; and Carmona, General Mariano Alvarez and Silang in Cavite.
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) released a primer on what to do when a sizeable earthquake or the “Big One” strikes Metro Manila.
Strong ground shaking, said Phivolcs, may cause extensive damage to, or even the collapse of houses, buildings, bridges, and other infrastructure. Collapsed structures account for most of the casualties during a strong earthquake. Falling objects may also cause injuries.
A 2004 study funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency for Phivolcs and the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority showed that the magnitude 7.2 quake could kill up to 34,000 people and injure 100,000 others due to collapsed buildings.
The best course of action, Phivolcs said, is preparedness. “The damaging effects of earthquakes can be minimized if we prepare ourselves for the event. Because a large-magnitude earthquake, either from active faults in Luzon of the Manila Trench, may affect Batangas as a whole, it is always prudent to prepare for such eventuality.”
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