ROXAS City – About 13,000 participants joined the various earthquake drills conducted in Capiz last year, according to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) – Roxas City annual report.
A total of 27 schools, government offices, local government units (LGU) and private institutions conducted earthquake simulation exercises.
Along with the drills, orientations were also conducted and attended by more than 10,000 participants composed of students, teachers, local officials as well as national government employees, Civilian Volunteer Organization (CVO) members, military personnel, hospital staff and patients, and even Aetas.
Phivolcs – Roxas City Science Research Analyst Ramil Atando said the topics during orientations were:
* earthquake and its hazards
* how to conduct an earthquake drill in office, and
* what to do before, during and after an earthquake.
Most of the orientations and drills were in coordination with the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC) – Capiz.
“We want to heighten awareness of Capiceños on what to do before, during and after tremors,” Atando stressed.
He also revealed that seven locally-felt earthquakes were recorded by Phivolcs last year.
The February 6 and August 31 quakes with both Intensity 5 were the strongest tremors to hit the province, said Atando.
However, both quakes spared Capiceños from damage to lives and properties.
Atando said the Tablas and West Panay faults -- active faults in the island of Panay -- are Capiz’s nearest earthquake generators.
