THE Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) has issued a tsunami warning in four areas in Luzon following the magnitude 7.5 earthquake that hit Taiwan on Wednesday morning, April 3, 2024.
In a statement, the Phivolcs “strongly advised” residents in the coastal areas of Batanes Group of Island, Cagayan, Ilocos Norte and Isabela to evacuate to higher grounds or move farther inland due to a possible tsunami.
“Based on tsunami wave models and early tide gauge records of the tsunami in the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center, coastal areas in the Philippines fronting the Pacific Ocean are expected to experience high tsunami waves,” the agency said.
“It is forecasted that the first tsunami waves will arrive between 08:33 a.m. to 10:33 a.m., 3 Apr 2024 (Philippine Standard Time). It may not be the largest and these waves may continue for hours,” it added.
The earthquake rocked Taipei, Taiwan on Wednesday morning, resulting in several collapsed buildings. The epicenter was located in Hualien town.
The Japan government earlier issued an evacuation advisory for the coastal areas of the southern prefecture of Okinawa, as tsunami waves of up to three meters were expected particularly in the southwestern coast. (TPM/SunStar Philippines)