MMDA warns: Brace for heavy traffic Friday with quake drill on EDSA

The Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) put out an advisory for a monster traffic jam on EDSA on Friday when the Metro Shake Drill takes place at 4 p.m.

In a report by Saleema Refran on 24 Oras on Thursday, MMDA Oversight Committee on Public Safety Head BGen. Manny Gonzales said units will not be prepositioned and scenarios will be drawn up to truly simulate an earthquake drill.

"We will be expecting na sasabihin namin monster traffic kasi we will consider na may scenario tayo na ang kalsada bukas is full of debris, nagbaksakan po yan then some of the bridges, may scenario tayo na Guadalupe Bridge will collapse. So we will simulate the traffic po talaga, walang movement ang trapiko," Gonzales said.

The Metro Shake Drill will be in preparation for a possible movement by the West Valley Fault, which the Japan International Cooperation Agency predicted in 2004 will cause a 7.2 earthquake called "The Big One" in Metro Manila.

According to estimates, there is a possibility of 35,000 casualties, 115,000 injuries, and 170,000 destroyed in the earthquake.

"Iba na po yung naghahanda tayo para maiwasan yung tinatawag nating major casualty sa mga buhay ng mga residente dito sa Metro Manila," Gonzales said.

Different scenarios will be carried out in 17 cities around Metro Manila. An emergency operations center, evacuation center, and field hospital in the four quadrants of Metro Manila. —Rie Takumi/JST, GMA News