The state seismology agency debunked the popular belief that people on higher floors of a building should move upward during an earthquake, noting that evacuating to an open field remains the safest option.
The idea suggests that during an earthquake, people on higher floors should move upward toward the rooftop to make rescue easier if the building completely collapses.
“I know we see that in the movies. But we cannot predict how a building will collapse,” Charmaine V. Villamil, Senior Science Research Specialist at the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS), said in a Zoom interview in a mix of English and Tagalog.
“Not all buildings fall like a pancake—some tilt, while others like the Grand Hyatt (Manila) may collapse inward,” Ms. Villamil said.
During an earthquake, she said, it is still ideal to do the duck, cover, and hold, while the shaking is ongoing.
After the shaking stops and it is deemed safe, calmly leave the building and move to an open area away from structures and potential falling debris.
In residential houses, preparedness for earthquakes is also important, she said — not only by having a go-bag kit and knowing common earthquake drills, but also by being equipped with accurate information.
In the light of recent earthquakes, the interior department on Thursday urged all local chief executives to employ earthquake and tsunami preparedness.
Local government engineering teams were urged to inspect critical infrastructure and assess the reoccupation of damaged structures.
Meanwhile, Department of Health Secretary Teodoro J. Herbosa on Tuesday assured that DOH hospitals are expected to withstand the “Big One” in Metro Manila, which could generate at least a magnitude 7.2 earthquake.
In some local government units, such as in Laguna, they have implemented a suspension of classes as a precautionary measure following the recent earthquakes.
Governor Marisol “Sol” Castillo Aragones-Sampelo said the suspension, which runs from October 14 to 31, covers all face-to-face classes in both public and private schools across the province.
During the two-week suspension period, the provincial government will conduct inspections to assess the structural integrity of school buildings. — Edg Adrian A. Eva
