The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) Director, Teresito Bacolcol, has issued a grave warning, stating that the Philippines could face earthquakes stronger than magnitude 8 in the future.
In a report by Raffy Tima on ”24 Oras” last Thursday, Bacolcol highlighted the geological dynamics at play, stating, “The Philippine Archipelago is actually compressed on both sides by the Eurasian Plate and the Philippine Sea Plate, pero yung Eurasian Plate almost immobile. Ang malakas na motion would be the Philippine Sea Plate. We are being pushed towards the northwest.”
Bacolcol emphasized the potential seismic activity in key regions, stating, “The Philippine Trench here in Samar is capable of generating [magnitude] 8.1 and when that happens, puwedeng mag generate ng tsunami as high as 10 meters. Dito naman sa Manila Trench, puwede siya mag generate ng [magnitude] 8.3 earthquake.”
Regarding the speed of tsunami threats, Bacolcol cautioned, “It might take only five minutes for the first tsunami waves to arrive following the earthquake, making it challenging to send out tsunami alerts as quickly as possible.”
He urged coastal residents to be vigilant and recognize the signs of impending danger, stating, “When there is strong shaking na halos hindi ka na makagalaw or di ka na makatayo, and there is a sudden drop of sea level, and there is a roaring sound coming from the sea… Kung isa sa mga yan na observe mo, you have to evacuate immediately to a higher place, kung nasa coastal community ka.”
Bacolcol’s remarks come in the wake of a magnitude-7.2 earthquake that struck eastern Taiwan on Wednesday, claiming the lives of 10 individuals.
The warning also echoes previous concerns raised by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, which projected over 60,000 fatalities and 120,000 missing people in the event of a 7.2-magnitude earthquake, commonly referred to as the ”Big One,” hitting Metro Manila.