DAVAO CITY (PIA) — This year’s fourth quarter National Simultaneous Earthquake Drill (NSED) set on November 9 will integrate a tsunami scenario in a coastal community.
Barangay Buguis in Jose Abad Santos, Davao Occidental will be the regional pilot site in Davao region.
“This activity is to give emphasis on tsunami, not only in Jose Abad Santos, to promote the awareness, preparedness, if ever it happens in the entire Davao Region. Remember taas-taas pod atong coastal areas along the Davao region,” Office of the Civil Defense (OCD) XI Regional Director Ednar Dayanghirang told the media during the Kapehan sa Dabaw at SM City Davao on Monday, Nov. 6.
Dayanghirang said that the event is in line with the observance of the United Nations’ declaration of Tsunami Awareness Day on Nov. 5, which aims to raise awareness about the nature of tsunamis and improve community preparedness and resilience.
Ednar Dayanghirang, OCD-XI Regional Director, announces that this year’s last NSED will highlight a tsunami scenario, which will be piloted in Barangay Buguis in Jose Abad Santos, Davao Occidental.
The NSED will be simulating an 8.5 magnitude earthquake generated by the Philippine Trench.
Dayanghirang revealed that they chose to conduct the drill in Jose Abad Santos, as 23 of its 26 barangays are coastal communities and are vulnerable to tsunamis whenever tsunami-generating earthquakes hit the town’s surrounding seas.
“Sa hazard map sa Phivolcs, ang Jose Abad Santos daghang red lines… these communities will be greatly affected if tsunami will happen, especially when the Cotabato fault will move,” he explained.
Due to its geographical location and physical characteristics, the town has several identified natural hazards, such as earthquake and tsunami, typhoon and storm surge, strong winds/waves, coastal erosion/accretion, landslide, and flood.
The municipality is mostly characterized by a “ridge to reef” environment, with 72-kilometer coastline, making it the longest in the province of Davao Occidental. It is 210 kilometers away from Davao City.
Brgy. Buguis, meantime, is one of the smallest barangays in the municipality with a total population of about 1,625, equivalent to 365 households. Majority of the populace are living along the shore.
The NSED in Jose Abad Santos is in partnership with the municipal government and the provincial government of Davao Occidental.
Although being piloted in JAS, Dayanghirang clarified that the drill is a nationwide activity and will be observed in other parts of the country, particularly in the entire Davao region.
Karlo Alexie Puerto, OCD-XI information officer, urged all residents in the region to participate in the simultaneous event, which will remind the public of the duck, cover, and hold safety protocols whenever an earthquake occurs.
Puerto also encouraged all participants to practice the evacuation drill as well.
He said that part of the agency’s advocacy is to make people understand the nature of tsunamis and the earthquakes that generate tsunamis.
Karlo Alexie Puerto, OCD-XI information officer, encourages the public to participate in the earthquake drill, following the duck, cover, and hold safety protocols.
“Dapat man gud natong masabtan unsa ang nature (sa tsunami) para kita pod, we will not be purveyors of fake news,” he explained. (ASO with reports from CLC/PIA-XI)
