The Office of Civil Defense (OCD) has recommended the inclusion of tsunami drills into the National Simultaneous Earthquake Drill (NSED) following the series of earthquakes offshore Ilocos Sur.
Undersecretary Ariel Nepomuceno, OCD administrator and executive director of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), said the integration of tsunami drills is aimed at enhancing community preparedness for potential tsunami threats.
As of Dec. 24, a total of 186 earthquakes have been recorded offshore Ilocos Sur, ranging from magnitudes of 1.8 to 5.0 at various depths.
“The potential for a tsunami exists, particularly from offshore earthquakes with magnitudes of 6.5 or greater along the Manila Trench,” said Nepomuceno, citing assessment from the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs).
He said Phivolcs continues to develop tsunami modeling to inform communities about possible inundation and wave height expectations.
Nepomuceno said he also instructed all OCD regional offices to coordinate with the local government units (LGUs) on the utilization of the hazard maps through HazardHunterPH.
“They are also tasked to review relevant contingency plans to prepare for possible emergencies,” said Nepomuceno.
“Meanwhile, we also requested the Phivolcs for a briefing regarding the six significant trenches around the Philippines set for January 2025,” he added.