DAVAO City and its residents responded more calmly and effectively to the recent tsunami alert, showing significant improvement from the 2019 “Chona Mae” panic incident, according to the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO).
The alert followed an 8.7 magnitude earthquake off Russia’s eastern coast.
“We’ve learned from the past. People now know there’s no need to panic,” said Lyndon Leovic Ancajas, acting head of Central 911’s Law Enforcement, Communication, and Rescue Division, during the ISpeak forum on July 31 at the City Mayor’s Office.
In 2019, a misunderstood call for a child named “Chona Mae” sparked mass panic in the city after rumors of a tsunami spread. This time, Ancajas said, residents stayed calm, followed advisories, and trusted official updates.
He credited the smooth response to improved public awareness, effective information dissemination, and the CDRRMO’s live monitoring updates via Facebook, which showed real-time footage of the coastline.
The city currently operates six coastal monitoring cameras in Agdao, Toril, Bunawan, Matina Aplaya, and Bago Aplaya, as well as eight river monitoring cameras in Fatima, Tamugan, Matina Biao, Toril, and Lipadas.
Barangay officials and disaster teams quickly visited coastal areas to inform residents of a possible pre-emptive evacuation. The Department of Education also shifted to blended learning in affected areas to keep students safe.
Ancajas said the city-wide earthquake and tsunami simulation on July 25 helped reinforce disaster preparedness and boosted response coordination.
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) earlier warned of possible sea level disturbances of less than one meter, expected to hit between 1:20 p.m. and 2:40 p.m. This led Davao to take early safety measures, including alerting coastal communities and adjusting school schedules. RGP