Phivolcs to add earthquake, tsunami warning devices

THE Philippine Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) in Eastern Visayas is planning to increase warning devices that will monitor and detect earthquakes and tsunami alerts in the region.

Nemesio Cañete, Phivolcs-Eastern Visayas officer-in-charge, said those devices would help in a more comprehensive delivery of updates to the people in the region, with regard earthquakes and tsunami monitoring.

“We would be able to monitor and provide more accurate information as early as possible about the occurrence of earthquakes and tsunamis,” Cañete said.

He said the warning devices shall be put up in three respective areas in the region.

“We are planning to put up tsunami early warning system in Guiuan, Eastern Samar. This device is for the Leyte province because if a tsunami occurs, the first place to feel it is Guiuan, thus it will directly give warning to the coastal areas located here in Leyte,” Cañete said.

He also said that a tsunami wave detector will be placed in the port of Borongan City and in Tacloban to also monitor tsunami alerts.

“We have conducted site surveys this year to identify the areas where we will put up those equipment. We presume that this will be realized next year,” Cañete said.

He added that there are currently five devices for earthquake monitoring in the region. These are located in Borongan; Ormoc City; Maasin; Catarman, Northern Samar; and Palo, Leyte.

“Four of those five monitoring stations transmit data to our main office in real time via satellite regarding updates about earthquake occurrences,” Cañete said.

He said they are able to record an average of seven earthquakes per day and an average of 21 earthquakes per month in the region.

Last week, 10 earthquakes were recorded while three earthquakes were reported this week.

When asked about the level of awareness of the people in the region about earthquake hazards and earthquake preparedness, Cañete said the people here are well aware of the said matters.

“Aside from our devices [that] monitor earthquakes and tsunami alerts, we also focus on information dissemination among students, offices, and other organizations that tackles topic covered by earthquake education,” Cañete said. (Leyte Samar Daily Express)