In a bid to establish a cost-effective local tsunami warning for selected high-risk coastal communities in the country, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) in cooperation with the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC) conducted a two-day Capacity Building Workshop among the municipal and barangay council officials of Lingayen, July 26 and 27 at the Consuelo Hotel here.
Angelito G. Lanuza, PHIVOLCS representative and workshop facilitator said that the capability building is aimed to further educate the grassroots communities especially those situated in coastal areas on basic facts about the various disasters like earthquake and tsunami.
Lanuza said that at least 20 earthquakes usually occurred but not all are felt since they vary in strength.
He also noted that the “Philippines is also exposed to far-field and locally generated tsunamis” but people in the community are unaware of it. Likewise, he said that the town of Lingayen is prone to tsunami considering its strategic location thus the establishment of a mass alerting system using tsunami warning siren, the first in the country, is a welcome development.
The participants of the two-day workshop were briefed on the following topics: Earthquake and Its Hazards, Overview of Tsunami (Generation, Hazards and Mitigation), PHIVOLCS Earthquake Intensity Scale, Tsunami Alert Levels, Community-Based Early Warning System for Tsunami, and Basic Map Reading.
Film and video-showing involving experiences from historical earthquakes and tsunamis also highlighted the lecture proper.
“The very basic thing that communities must developed is the sense of awareness and involvement, “the PHIVOLCS representative cited as he added that people must put their acts now and not later. (PIO/Ruby R. Bernardino)
