Earthquake of 6.

3 magnitude strikes
Philippines, several dead: media
MANILA (Reuters) - A magnitude 6.3 earthquake struck the Philippines main island of Luzon on Monday
and several people were killed in collapsed buildings, media reported.

The quake struck 60 km (37 miles) northwest of the capital, Manila, at a depth of 40 km (25 miles), the
U.S Geological Survey (USGS).

The governor of Pampanga province told a radio station that several people had been killed. Media
reported some structures had collapsed and the Clark International Airport, a former U.S. military base,
had suffered some damage and had closed.

Tall buildings swayed in Manila's main business district and some people evacuated their offices.

The Philippines is on the seismically active Pacific "Ring of Fire", a horse-shoe shaped band of volcanoes
and fault lines circling the edges of the Pacific Ocean.

High resolution West Valley

Fault maps launched
Disaster officials say detailed maps showing danger zones will help Metro Manila and surrounding
provinces prepare for a 7.2-magnitude earthquake expected within our lifetime

MANILA, Philippines – Government agencies launched the most detailed and updated map of two
major faults within Greater Metro Manila in preparation for a possible 7.2-magnitude earthquake that
may happen within our lifetime.

Launched on Monday, May 18, The Valley Fault System Atlas is a handbook with 33 map sheets of
cities traversed by the East Valley Fault and West Valley Fault. (Scroll down the article to view the
atlas below)

Cities and towns traversed by the 100-kilometer West Valley Fault, may experience earthquakes of
up to magnitude 7.2. On the other hand, areas traversed by the shorter 10-kilometer East Valley Fault
are due for, at most, a 6.2-magnitude earthquake. (WATCH: #TalkThursday: Metro Manila
earthquake scenarios)

The affected cities and towns are as follows:

West Valley Fault

 Quezon City
 Marikina
 Makati
 Pasig
  Taguig
 Muntinlupa
 Bulacan (Doña Remedios Trinidad, Norzgaray, San Jose Del Monte City)
 Rizal (Rodriguez)
 Laguna (San Pedro City, Biñan, Sta Rosa, Cabuyao, Calamba)
 Cavite (Carmona, General Mariano Alvarez, Silang)

East Valley Fault

 Rodriguez, Rizal
 San Mateo, Rizal

The atlas is a project led by the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) with
funding from Australian Aid and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP).

It presents the most detailed map of the two faults so far, having been done in a scale of 1:5,000.
Such detail allows users to see locations of roads and buildings. This is an improvement of a previous
map by Phivolcs done in a 1:10,000 scale.

Picture - STREET-LEVEL. A page of Phivolcs' Valley Fault System Atlas shows the part of the West Valley Fault near
Pasig City subdivisions Valle Verde 5 and 6. Screengrab from Valley Fault System Atlas

Expected big quake

The fault lines and location of fissures indicated in the map were based on old aerial photos of
Phivolcs and field validation of Phivolcs researchers who visited the fault sites.

Their findings were then translated into maps using 1:5,000 topographic maps from NAMRIA
(National Mapping and Resource Information Authority).

The handbook is prefaced with a guide on how to interpret it. Different types of lines indicate the
location of active faults, fissures, and where faults coincide with fissures. Also indicated is the
certainty of Phivolcs of the location of the fault and whether or not the fault is hidden by natural or
man-made obstructions.

Picture - FOLLOWING THE LINES. The atlas shows a part of the West Valley Fault appearing to cross C.P. Garcia
Avenue or C-5 near Makati and Taguig

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Schools, hospitals near West Valley Fault

Some key facilities in Metro Manila and surrounding provinces may be affected if a magnitude-7.2 earthquake strikes
along the West Valley Fault. Know what they are.
What dangers await when the West Valley Fault moves?
Check out the maps and the fast facts to understand the risks and plan how to survive when a strong quake shakes Metro
Manila and surrounding provinces

Phivolcs study: the Marikina Valley Fault System

The study recommended that disaster preparedness plans and contingency measures should be thoroughly reviewed and
re-evaluated to incorporate the implications of a large-magnitude earthquake on the Valley Fault System

The West Valley Fault is known to generate big quakes every 400 to 600 years, he explained. The
last major quake happened 357 years ago in 1658, meaning another one can happen as soon as 43
years from now.

"Active faults do not follow averages. If it moves earlier, we need to prepare for possible movement
within our lifetime," said Solidum.

The map should enable national and local governments, homeowners, building owners, and disaster
officials to prepare for this eventuality.

Phivolcs warned that buildings should not be built on top of active faults or within a 5-meter
bufferzone on either side of the fault.

Buildings that violate this rule are likely not to survive the rupturing of the ground when the faults
move.

Solidum, however, warned that even buildings and persons outside the buffer zone will still feel
intense shaking during a big earthquake.

Thus, ensuring buildings are earthquake-resilient is the best preparation for an earthquake, he said.

Tool for disaster-readiness

Disaster and local government officials vowed to use the atlas to protect citizens.

"The Valley Fault System Atlas will play a critical role in our programs for preparedness," said
National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) Executive Director Alexander
Pama.

He gave assurances that the atlas will be used by the NDRRMC and its regional offices as a tool for
minimizing risk and casualties during an earthquake.
The handbook will serve as a "solid reference" for the placement of evacuation centers, roads, and
houses, he added. (READ: 12-point checklist for an earthquake-ready house)

The Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA), which heads the Metro Manila Disaster Risk
Reduction Council, said the atlas will help in the formulation of plans. (WATCH: Rappler Talk: Helping
Nepal)

Last year, the agency conducted an "earthquake census" in which they informed residents of certain
villages that their homes are near active faults. The census, however, was hampered by a lack of
manpower.

"We fielded a team of engineers last year. Since we couldn't go through all the areas affected, what
we did was to make a sampling and that is one barangay per city and this barangay should be able to
echo to the other barangays what we have done," said MMDA's Emerson Carlos.

The atlas is also expected to help city planners draft more disaster-resilient land use plans.

The Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board (HLURB) gave assurances that it would use the map
as a reference when assessing land use plans of Greater Metro Manila cities and towns.

"We are reviewing all the plans of most Metro Manila cities and last year, new guidelines were
approved which mainstreams already disaster risk reduction measures. With the introduction of the
VSF Atlas, we will definitely include this in our land use preparation," said HLURB Commissioner
Antonio Bernardo.

Already, the HLURB requires developers to submit a certification from Phivolcs that proves their
project site is far from any active fault, he added.

The stakes are high given the devastation a 7.2-magnitude earthquake is expected to cause.

In Metro Manila, the death toll could be around 33,500 with at least 100,000 injured, according to
a study. Some 40% of residential buildings are likely to be heavily or partially damaged. Total cost of
damage could reach P2.3 trillion. – Rappler.com

After Nepal quake, PH

promises to be better prepared
National disaster risk manager Alexander Pama says 'recent events' requires the the Philippines to
'step up our efforts' to be better prepared for emergencies

Picture- British troops hold earthquake tabletop exercises in Manila. Photo from the British Embassy

MANILA, Philippines – They gathered around a big map of Metro Manila – representives of
government and non-governmental organizations, including several embassies. At the British
embassy on Tuesday, April 28, they simulated their responses in the first 24, 48, and 72 hours of a
tremor.

The advice that exercise commander Lieutenant Colonel Jem Blades of the United Kingdom's Royal
Engineers gave them: Metro Manila's earthquake response should be updated every 6 months.

British troops this week led tabletop exercises on Metro Manila's earthquake response, a timely
activity after the devastation in Nepal that killed at least 5,000.

Blades praised contigency plans presented to them in meetings since last week. The Armed Forces
of the Philippines command in Metro Manila, for example, presented how the capital will be divided
into 4 quadrants with different government agencies assigned given specific roles and areas of
responsibility.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council is involved in the exercises. "With
the recent turn of events in the country and the region, we really need to step up our efforts to make
the Philippines better prepared for earthquakes and other emergencies," said NDRRMC Executive
Director Alexander Pama.

Update every 6 months

Blades said what is important is regular practice of the drills and continous updating of the
contingency plans as often as every 6 months.

"People sometimes say, 'Is the plan perfect?' It’s never perfect. Once you make the plan perfect,
things will change in the future. For example, Manila. You make the plan assuming that the city size is
whatever. Six months down the line the city got bigger or smaller. You got a new bridge and the old
bridges are gone. There are some new buildings," Blades told reporters.

"It’s not a static process. Any plan that is being developed, even if it gets to be top-notch, will have to
be looked at again 6 months down the line," he added

Picture- DEPLOYMENT: Participants discuss how different organizations are going to deploy their assets. Photo from the
British Embassy

Nepal's different geology

Lieutenant Colonel Harry Walker, who was part of a previous training exercise in Nepal, expressed confidence
that Metro Manila is more resilient to a big earthquake compared to Kathmandu.

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All passengers are evacuated from train stations as operations are halted due to the earthquake on Monday, April 22

Luzon earthquake triggers power outages

Initial reports indicate that brownouts occurred in parts of Pangasinan, Pampanga, La Union, and Bataan, due to the
earthquake on Monday, April 22

He said the geology of Kathmandu was dangerous to an earthquake. "In Kathmandu, it’s slightly different
because the Kathmandu valley is on a lake and therefore the geology would be more effective for the buildings
to collapse. And then because it’s all flat. Manila is up and down," Walker said.

The buildings in Metro Manila also appear to be resilient to a big earthquake, particularly the new ones. "The
sites being constructed at the minute would appear to be designed for any future earthquake that will hit
Manila," Walker added.

Still, Walker said there are a lot of high-rise buildings in Metro Manila and they should be checked for
following the building code. "The fact that one might go will add to a domino effect. But from what we've seen
here, the structures appear to be well-designed," he said.

Swapping lessons

Blades and several dozen troops of the 77 Brigade were in Manila for the Philippine-British Exercise Civil
Bridge, an activity meant to swap lessons between the two countries.

They met officials of Malacañang, the NDRRMC, and other humanitarian organizations as part of an annual
training exercise in different parts of the world. The tabletop exercises culminated their visit and will be the
basis of recommendations they're going to submit to the Philippine government.

"The purpose of the exercise is bringing everyone together, the people we met last week – government
departments, the NGOs, the UNOCHA (United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs),
and then working together understanding how their plans will work together," said Blades.

Different response organizations need to practice together regularly to make sure there will be no confusion
about their roles when a disaster happens, he said.

"Sometimes you find, not in Manila, sometimes in other places, you find that one person has a wonderful plan
but it is relying on another person's plan. But his plan isn't so wonderful. Part of the thing today is getting them
all together and seeing how their plans work together so they can actually be synchronized," Blades explained.
"I think the big lesson in many places will always be working together. Working out what you’re going to do in
advance. having a dry run of what you’re going to do in advance, practising it, perfecting it, and practising it
again," he said.

If responders become victims

One of the realities that may not be anticipated during disaster drills, he added, is the possible need of
responders themselves not being able to play their assigned roles because they have to take care of themselves
and their family just like everybody else, Blades said.

He said it might mean that disaster response groups inside Metro Manila might be paralyzed and the capital
would have to rely on organizations from the outside.

"Where actually are you? Are you at home? At work? At the British embassy? We simulate where we are. At
each day we stop and say, 'Where do you think you'll be now? What will be happening?'" said Blades.

"We got media involved, too. You might say, 'We're following the disaster. We're putting out messages saying
you need to evacuate you need to get water.' But actually when you look at the exercises, it might become
apparent that you won't be working because perhaps you'll be out doing things or you'll be looking out for your
family," Blades said. – Rappler.com

Marikina Valley Fault System Map: Are you

living in an earthquake zone?

The Marikina Fault Line: What you need to know

The recent devastating earthquake in Nepal that killed thousands of people has been in the
news lately, and there has been renewed interest in earthquake preparation and reminder
on what to do if it happens here.

Picture - Relief Map of Metro Manila and nearby provinces showing the West and East Valley
Fault Line by By Ervin Malicdem (Own work) [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html)
or CC BY-SA 4.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)], via Wikimedia
Commons

In the Philippines, the most recent deadliest earthquake we’ve had was in 2013, where a 7.2
quake that hit Bohol and Cebu in October left over 200 people dead, and damages to
property amounting to at least P2 billion.
In Metro Manila, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) is
watching the Marikina Valley Fault (also called the West Valley Fault), a fault system that
runs through major cities in the metro and nearby provinces.

Among them are the following: Norzagaray and San Jose Del Monte City in Bulacan,
Rodriguez in Rizal, Quezon City, Pasig City, Taguig City, Muntinlupa City, San Pedro,
Cabuyao, Calamba and Sta. Rosa in Laguna, and Carmona, Silang and General Mariano
Alvarez in Cavite.

Phivolcs said the fault, which is capable of a large-scale earthquake of magnitude 7 or

higher, is “ripe for movement” and can strike anytime in the next few years.

It also released a hazard map showing exactly where the fault passes through, and has
identified key areas where residential villages, hospitals and schools are located directly over
the valley fault.

West Valley and East Valley Fault Map

Some of the larger residential villages identified are Loyola Subdivision and Cinco Hermano
Subdivision in Marikina; Filinvest Homes II, White Plains Subdivision and Greenmeadows in
Quezon City; the Valle Verde villages in Pasig City; and Camella Homes in Muntinlupa.

What to do if your home is near a fault?

For residents whose homes are near the identified areas of Phivolcs, the chief reminder is
not to panic. Many of the houses are not located exactly above the fault line; it may
experience intense vibrations and shaking during an earthquake, but it is at risk just as
much as the other houses in Metro Manila.

The best thing to do is to have an engineer check out the structural integrity of your house,
or any structure, to make sure it is earthquake-ready.

What to do before, during and after the “Big One”

Phivolcs released a list of things to do before, during and after an earthquake. The best
preparation is to keep these things in mind so that you will know what to do when a large
quake strikes.
Before:
1. Identify the earthquake hazards in your area
2. Strap or bolt heavy furniture or cabinet to the walls
3. Check stability of hanging objects like ceiling fans and chandeliers
4. Breakable items, harmful chemicals and flammable materials should be stored properly in
the lowermost secured shelves

During:
1. Stay calm. When you are inside a structurally sound building or home, stay there. Do the
“duck, cover and hold”
2. If possible, quickly open the door for exit
3. Duck under a sturdy desk or table, and hold on to it, or protect your head with your arms
4. Stay away from glass windows, shelves, cabinets and other heavy objects
5. If you’re outside, move to an open area. Stay away from trees, power lines, and concrete
structures
6. Move away from steep slopes which may be affected by landslides

After
1. Be prepared for aftershocks. Once the shaking stops, take the fastest and safest way out
of the building.
2. Don’t use elevators or enter damaged buildings
3. Check yourself and others for injuries
4. Check water and electrical lines for damages
5. Check for spills of chemical, toxic and flammable materials
6. If you need to evacuate your residence, have a message stating where you are going and
bring your emergency supply kit

The most important reminder is to stay levelheaded during an earthquake. Panic will only
worsen the situation. Keep a clear head so that you know how to best keep yourself and
your family in a safe situation.
List Of Barangays In Metro Manila, Nearby
Province Located Near Earthquake Fault

PHIVOLCS Released List Of Barangays Located Near

Earthquake Fault
Phivolcs released the list of barangays in Metro Manila and its nearby provinces that are
located near the earthquake fault.

On Tuesday (April 04, 2017), the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology
(PHIVOLCS) released the Valley Fault System (VFS) Atlas, large-scale maps showing the areas
near the earthquake fault.

There are 2 segments composing the VFS:

West Valley Fault – Running Through Bulacan, Rizal, Metro Manila, Cavite, and Laguna.
East Valley Fault – Running through Rizal

The volcanology agency has previously warned the impending activity of the West Valley Fault.
This fault roughly moves between 400-600 years and the last earthquake in this fault was
recorded on 1658 or 357 years ago.

The movement of the West Valley Fault could generate a magnitude 7.2 earthquake, which
could kill more than 34, 000 people and could injure around 100, 000 people. While the East
Valley Fault could generate a magnitude 6.2 earthquake.

Around P1.8 to P2.3 trillion will the cost of rehabilitation, according to the study conducted by
Phivolcs in partnership with the Metro Manila Development Authority, Geosciences Australia,
and Japan International Cooperation Agency.

Here is the list of barangays in Metro Manila and its nearby provinces near the earthquake
fault:
WEST VALLEY FAULT
Metro Manila
Quezon City:
 Bagong Silangan
 Bagumbayan
 Batasan Hills
 Blue Ridge B
 Libis
 Matandang Balara
 Pansol
 White Plains
 Ugong Norte
 Loyola Heights
 Pasong Putik Proper (Pasong Putik)
 Payatas
Marikina City:
 Barangka
 Industrial Valley
 Malanday
 Tumana
Pasig City:
 Bagong Ilog
 Ugong
Makati City:
 East Rembo
 Pembo
 Rizal
 Comembo
Taguig City:
 Bagumbayan
 Bagong Tanyag
 Upper Bicutan
 Central Bicutan
 Lower Bicutan
 Maharlika Village
 Pinagsama
 North Signal Village
 Central Signal Village
 South Signal Village
 Ususan
 South Daang Hari
Muntinlupa City:
 Alabang
 Bayanan
 Buli
 Cupang
 Poblacion
 Putatan
 Sucat
 Tunasan
Outside Metro Manila
Bulacan:
 San Jose Del Monte City:
 San Isidro
 Ciudad Real
 San Roque
 Norzagaray:
 San Lorenzo
 Doña Remedios Trinidad:
 Camachin
 Kabayunan
 Sapang Bulak
 Bayabas
 Camachile
 Pulong Sampalok
Laguna:
 San Pedro:
 Calendola
 Gsis
 Sampaguita Village
 San Antonio
 San Vicente
 Riverside
 United Bayanihan
 Biñan:
 Biñan (Poblacion)
 Malamig
 San Francisco (Halang)
 Sta. Rosa:
 Sto Domingo
 Cabuyao:
 Casile
 Calamba:
 Canlubang
Cavite:
 Gen. Mariano Alvarez:
 San Jose
 Carmona:
 Bancal
 Cabilang Baybay
 Lantic
  Mabuhay
 Silang:
 Carmen
 Inchican
EAST VALLEY FAULT
Rizal:
 San Mateo:
 Ampid I
 Dulongbayan Ii
 Guinayang
 Guitnangbayan Ii
 Malanday
 Maly
 Santa Ana
 Rodriguez (Montalban):
 Burgos
 Macabud
 San Jose
 San Isidro
 San Rafael (Rosario)

Government steps up preparations for ‘Big

One’ Manila earthquake https://philippineslifestyle.com/preparations-big-one-manila-earthquake/

Government agencies are scaling up preparations for the ‘Big One’ — the long-feared earthquake
expected to hit Manila one day.

Geologists believe that the potentially 7.6 magnitude ‘Big One’ quake could strike at any time
following a movement of the West Valley Plate.

Speaking at a press conference this week, Alan Silor, Assistant Secretary of the Department of
Information and Communications (DICT), said: “We need an inter-agency cooperation so the level of
awareness will be high, and the coordination of line agencies will be stronger.

“We want the public to know that if disaster happens, they know the measures to do, so these are the
focal issues that we are going to take up.

The PCOO’s Communications Assistant Secretary Kristian Ablan said the role of his office was to
“communicate the information needed for citizens to be prepared”.
“It’s very important that all agencies of government are unified and consistent in its messaging for the
citizens to be prepared for any natural disaster including the earthquake that’s why we’re all meeting
together from the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, the DICT, the Department of
Interior and Local Government, the Metro Manila Development Authority, the PCOO and its family of
agencies,” he said.

“Our citizens need to be prepared, for example how many litres of water do our citizens need to
save? What are the items that are in their emergency bag? What are the procedures once an
earthquake happens, where do they go?”

The inter-agency Technical Working Group Resiliency Team held its first meeting yesterday
(Wednesday, February 28) to scale up preparations for the “Big One.”

The West Valley Fault, which is one of two major segments of the Marikina Valley Fault System, runs
through Metro Manila to the cities of Marikina, Quezon City, Pasig, Makati, Taguig and Muntinlupa.

The fault possesses a threat of a large-scale earthquake with an estimated magnitude as high as 7.6.

Such an earthquake is expected to cause massive loss of life and destruction throughout Metro
Manila.

The Philippines, which sits on the geologically active Pacific Ring of Fire, has had its share of deadly
quakes.

The deadliest to hit the Philippines in recent memory was on July 16, 1990, when a magnitude 7.7
quake hit parts of Central and Northern Luzon and killed an estimated 1,621 people.