CAMIGUIN (PIA) — Focusing on a comprehensive tsunami and volcanic eruption scenario to assess the nation’s disaster response capabilities, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) mobilized key national line agencies to conduct the 4th Quarter Nationwide Simultaneous Earthquake Drill (NSED) on November 14-15, here.
“Hindi ko matatanggap na may mamamatay na 30,000 hanggang 52,000 na mga kababayan natin. Sasang-ayon lang ako na tayo ay handa na kapag ang posibleng mamatay sa malaking lindol ay kokonti lang. So it’s unacceptable that it’s okay to have a 30,000 to 50,000 immediate casualties. So because of that, kailangang maghabol pa tayo,” said Usec. Ariel Nepomuceno, civil defense administrator.
(I cannot accept that 30,000 to 52,000 of our fellow citizens might die. I will only agree that we are ready when the potential casualties from a major earthquake are minimal. So it’s unacceptable to be okay with having 30,000 to 50,000 immediate casualties. Because of this, we need to keep working harder to improve our preparedness.)
This high-stakes drill is scheduled to take place at 2:00 p.m. on November 14, at the Cong. PPR Tourism and Sports Complex in Mambajao. The drill will also simulate a powerful offshore earthquake with a magnitude of 6.8 anticipated to strike the Island of Camiguin and nearby provinces.
Residents are expected to experience the quake at a PHIVOLCS Earthquake Intensity Scale (PEIS) level VI, which poses risks of rock falls, landslides, and structural collapses across affected areas. Following this initial shock, authorities have predicted a tsunami approximately 3 meters high, potentially impacting the coastlines of Mambajao and Catarman.
Adding to the complexity of the scenario, the drill will simulate volcanic activity involving Camiguin’s Hibok-Hibok Volcano, which is currently at Volcano Alert Level 1. At around 2:30 p.m., the drill will portray a phreatic eruption, producing a steam-driven column reaching about 1,000 meters. The Camiguin Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) is expected to issue ashfall forecasts, prompting necessary alerts for residents and emergency responders.
The scenario will further include aftershocks at PEIS levels II to IV, designed to challenge emergency response teams. These aftershocks may disrupt essential services such as water, electricity, and communication, testing the resilience and coordination of participating agencies and the community.
Key officials, including Nepomuceno, Usec. Diana Rose Cajipe of the Department of Social Welfare and Development, Ma. Antonia Bornas, chief science research specialist of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology; Yvette Tolentino-Sunga, officer-in-charge of the Department of Interior and Local Government; and Romela Ratilla, regional director of the Department of Science and Technology, will grace the said event.
“Nakahanda ang Office of Civil Defense na gawin ‘yung aming tungkulin upang ang mga kababayan natin laging maging handa subalit responsibilidad niyo naman na iligtas din ninyo kaagad ang inyong sarili dahil wala naman laging nandiyan ang national government sa tabi ninyo pas sa sakuna, sa kalamidad, importante kayo mismo alam ninyo ang gagawin ninyo. Nasa paghahanda ang ating kaligtasan,” Nepomuceno said.
(The Office of Civil Defense is prepared to fulfill our duty to help our people always be ready, but it is also your responsibility to ensure your own safety, as the national government cannot always be there by your side during disasters and calamities. It’s important that you know what to do. Our safety lies in our preparedness.)
All residents, local agencies, and participating organizations are advised to maintain vigilance and readiness, ensuring seamless coordination during the drill. The event highlights disaster preparedness agencies’ commitment to strengthening community resilience and readiness for earthquakes, tsunamis, and volcanic threats, building public trust in the nation’s response systems. (RTP/PIA-10/Camiguin)
