Cebu has no tsunami detector – Phivolcs

CEBU, Philippines — Cebu does not have any early warning system for tsunamis, said an official of Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) in Lapu-Lapu City station.

Phivolcs-Cebu officer-in-charge Robinson Jorgio said the agency had prioritized the high risk areas across the country.

He said the high risk areas like Davao Oriental and those facing the Philippine Sea had been mounted with tsunami detector paired with the alerting system.

The system, he said, is composed of several alerting tools that relay warnings in other potential affected areas.

He said the head office may acquire one to provide other islands, including Cebu.

Jorgio said even inner islands like Cebu should be prepared for possible tsunami occurrence. His statement came on the heels of the magnitude 7.2 earthquake that rocked Davao Oriental on Saturday.

Jorgio urged local government units here to take precaution and secure the communities along the coasts.

“We should not be complacent even if Cebu is surrounded by islands. Many people might think that we are safe from tsunami events because there are outer islands that cover us from the open seas,” he told The FREEMAN over a phone interview.

He said no island in the country is exempted from a tsunami.

He added there were areas like Palo town, Leyte that had experienced tsunami even if these lands lie in between other islands.

“Even here in Cebu, we should be prepared and ready ourselves for any worst eventuality. If tsunami occurs, there are areas especially near the coast that might be hit by the huge sea waves,” he said.

Jorgio said there are several preparedness initiatives that had been undertaken and facilitated by the local offices of Phivolcs and the Office of Civil Defense in coordination with the different local government units.

He said there were several earthquake drills that were organized in the past that were included with tsunami drills.

He said the local government units, particularly those near the coast, were also provided with the updated hazard maps, which include areas that are at risk of tsunamis.

A tsunami differs from a normal tidal wave, which is generated by wind. A tsunami wave is generated by the displacement of a large volume of water caused by earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, landslides, underwater explosions, and other disturbances in the water. (FREEMAN)