Warning issued vs ‘Big One’ news

MANILA, Philippines - State seismologists warned the public on the spread of fake news claiming that a strong earthquake will happen this week.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) denied that it released information supposedly claiming that the “Big One,” or the strong earthquake triggered by the movement of the West Valley Fault, will occur between Feb. 24 and March 8.

The 100-kilometer West Valley Fault traverses parts of Bulacan through Quezon City, Marikina, Makati, Pasig, Taguig and Muntinlupa in Metro Manila; San Pedro, Biñan, Sta. Rosa, Cabuyao and Calamba in Laguna; and Carmona, General Mariano Alvarez and Silang in Cavite.

“We cannot predict when or where an earthquake will happen. There is no reliable technology in the world that can confidently predict the date, time and location of large earthquakes,” said the agency.

“What we do is prepare earthquake scenarios of hazards and impacts to be used as guide for mitigation, preparedness and response,” it added.

The agency cautioned against sharing such information, saying it could cause panic.

It directed netizens to the Phivolcs website and social media accounts for earthquake information and other preparedness materials.

Following the magnitude 6.7 earthquake that struck Surigao del Norte last Feb. 10, Phivolcs director Renato Solidum warned residents in Metro Manila and nearby provinces to prepare for a strong earthquake that could kill thousands.

Called the “Big One,” the said tremor, which could be as strong as magnitude 7.2, would be generated by the movement of the West Valley Fault.

While the fault is ripe for movement, Phivolcs repeatedly maintained that there is no technology available yet to predict when an earthquake will happen.

Solidum earlier said that the West Valley Fault moves roughly every 400 years. The last major earthquake generated by this fault was in 1658 or 357 years ago.

A 2004 study funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency for Phivolcs and the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority showed that a magnitude 7.2 quake could kill up to 34,000 people and injure 100,000 others due to collapsed buildings.