THE Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) on Wednesday ruled out the possibility of a tsunami following a magnitude 7.0 earthquake that hit the province of Abra at about 8:43 am Wednesday, July 27, 2022, but urged the public and local officials to expect aftershocks which might be felt in the next two to three days.

Phivolcs Director Renato Solidum, in a press briefing, said there is no tsunami threat in the affected areas, noting that the earthquake was inland and it will not cause any life-threatening movement in the seafloor, adding that aftershocks are expected and much of it may occur in the next two to three days.

“The residents must be advised to inspect their houses, buildings and infrastructure. The public must also know whether the house sustained damage or is still fit because there will be aftershocks. Landslide-prone areas must also be monitored. Landslides may occur during aftershocks and heavy rains,” he stressed.

Solidum the earthquake was possibly caused by the movement along the Abra River Fault. He noted that the last time Abra was hit by a major earthquake was in 1868 at magnitude 4.5.

He urged the public to keep calm and follow the guidance of their local government officials and that the Phivolcs will send a team to the affected areas for assessment and to guide the local government units.

One fatality reported

Meanwhile, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) yesterday reported a fatality---a construction worker from La Trinidad, Benguet---during the tremor that shook Northern and Central Luzon and parts of Metro Manila.

In the report, NDRRMC spokesperson Mark Timbal said the reported fatality was hit by falling debris when the earthquake struck.