Dagupan City has installed five Community Tsunami Alerting Stations (CTAS) in key barangays to help warn residents in case of a tsunami, especially if a strong earthquake strikes the Manila Trench.
The alert systems are now active in Bonuan Binloc, Bonuan Gueset, Pugaro, Lucao, and the Malimgas Public Market. In Sitio Bagong Barrio, Bonuan Gueset, the siren is located near the barangay hall.
“Napakaganda para sa Bonuan. Para kahit papaano eh maaalerto ang mga tao,” Mario Balois, a resident, said.
Houses in the area are packed tightly, making early alerts critical. Barangay officials remind residents regularly about safety steps in case a tsunami occurs.
One of them is Remy Soy who said she will leave whatever she is doing once an alert is raised.
“Takbo agad, iwanan ang pagkain. Siyempre buhay muna ang ililigtas,” she said.
According to the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO), 12 barangays in Dagupan are considered tsunami-vulnerable and are located in critical areas.
To improve preparedness, the city government plans to install more sirens.
“Tayo ay magpo-procure ng lima ulit. Nasa bidding process na po. At magdadagdag pa upang maging safe ang ating bayan,” Mayor Belen Fernandez said.
Dagupan lies near the Manila Trench, one of the areas that could be affected if a powerful earthquake known as “The Big One” hits. Based on PHIVOLCS studies, a tsunami between 5 to 7 meters high could follow such a quake.
“When ‘The Big One’ hits, all tsunami stations will alarm automatically,” CDRRMO head Melykhen Bauzon said.
Officials advise residents to evacuate immediately to a three-story building once a tsunami alarm sounds. They also reminded the public to remember the signs of an incoming tsunami:
- Shake: strong ground shaking
- Drop: sudden ocean water retreat
- Roar: loud sound of waves rushing to land
