Philippines holds national simultaneous earthquake drill

Millions of residents and employees in the Philippine capital and nearby provinces participated Wednesday in the shake drill under a scenario of 7.2-magnitude earthquake.

Sirens were sounded off at 9:00 a.m. local time in different places signalling the start of the drill, which was held simultaneously in Metro Manila and the provinces of Bulacan, Cavite, Rizal, and Laguna.

Critical scenarios, such as fire, collapsed bridges and buildings, derailment of trains were simulated where rescue teams reacted and responded.

Emerson Carlos, Chairman of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), expressed hope that the exercise would be institutionalized so that the public may develop a culture of preparedness.

The Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation, a private sector consortium of 78 major business and utility partners, said in a statement that it activated its Makati Emergency Operations Center as part of the MMDA Metro Manila Shake Drill to test the private sector's response to a major earthquake.

According to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs), a West Valley Fault, which transects parts of Metro Manila and the four provinces, could move and generate strong earthquake.

Phivolcs Director Renato Solidum Jr. said Manila was affected by an earthquake with casualty in 1968 when a 7.3-magnitude quake centered in Casiguran in northern Philippine province of Aurora caused the collapse of Ruby Tower in Binondo of Manila, leaving 268 people dead. Endit