MMDA sets metro-wide quake drill on July 30

The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority will conduct a metro-wide earthquake drill on July 30 in an effort to prepare the public for the eventuality of an earthquake from the Valley Fault System under Metro Manila. 

 

Although power and communication lines will still be operational once the drill starts at 10:30 a.m. on that day, Metro Manila will have to deal with different scenarios based on which quadrant of the metropolis they are in.

 

The Western quadrant, which will cover the CAMANAVA area and Manila, will have to deal with an earthquake and fire scenario. Evacuation site will be at the Intramuros Golf Course.

 

The Northern quadrant, of which Quezon City is a part, will be assigned to a medical triage with evacuation sites set up at the Veterans Memorial Medical Center Golf Course and the University of the Philippines in Diliman, Quezon City.

 

The Eastern quadrant, including residents of Marikina and Pasig, are to deal with fallen structures. The assigned evacuation sites for this quadrant are the LRT 2 Santolan Depot, Marikina Boys Town, Red Cross Marikina, and Ultra Pasig.

 

Lastly, the South quadrant, which covers Villamor and Pasay, will be focusing on dealing with debris clearing, with an evacuation site set up in the Villamor Golf Course.

 

The MMDA made it clear that residents and civilians need not go to the assigned evacuation areas during the drill. They are currently coordinating with hospitals, as well as television and radio stations for assistance.

 

Aside from these measures, the agency is also in contact with the Department of Education and the Commission of Higher Education for the participation of schools, as well as the business sector mainly to ensure the structural integrity of the buildings in the Metro.

 

Motorists are expected to be affected by the drill, and MMDA chairman Francis Tolentino said they are by no means excluded from it, even if it means having to deal with heavy traffic for some time.

 

Tolentino also made it clear that the drill will push through no matter the weather condition, and it shall last for an hour.

 

An audio recording of an earthquake sound will be played on government radio stations to signal the start of the first ever metro-wide earthquake drill.

 

PHIVOLCS earlier warned the public about the 100-kilometer long West Valley Fault System, which passes through Bulacan, Quezon City, Marikina, Pasig, Makati, Taguig, Muntinlupa, Rizal, Cavite and Laguna, among others, may cause a 7.2-magnitude quake and might result to over 30,000 deaths and over 100,000 injuries. — RSJ/TJD, GMA News