AN OFFICIAL of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) has called on the residents in Zamboanga City to stay alert and to always be prepared in case earthquake strikes.

Engineer Allan Rommel Labayog, Phivolcs-Zamboanga science research analyst, made the call after series of earthquakes shook different parts of Mindanao in the past weeks.

Labayog said they have so far recorded a total of 70 earthquakes since January this year compared only to 40 tremors last year.

The series of earthquakes in the fault system in Mindanao could also cause the movements of the other fault system nearby, he said.

Labayog added that some tremors, although with shallow epicenter, could cause heavy damage to structures and communities as well.

He said Zamboanga City aside from having two fault systems is also near to two trenches--Sulu and Cotabato--that have been dormant for quiet sometime now.

“That is why I advise the schools and other establishments to conduct earthquake simulation drills to instill awareness on the people, espeicaly students on what to do in case there will be strong tremor,” Labayog said. (SunStar Zamboanga)