MANILA, Philippines - The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) will replicate the earthquake drill in September in areas outside the metropolis traversed by the 100-kilometer West Valley Fault.
The MMDA said that the earthquake drill will be held on September 8 simultaneously in Norzagaray and San Jose del Monte in Bulacan; San Pedro, Biñan, Calamba and Cabuyao in Laguna.
The activity aims at raising awareness and promoting a culture of preparedness should a 7.2-magnitude earthquake hit Metro Manila and nearby provinces, the MMDA said.
The agency said that just like the shake drill in Metro Manila, an earthquake alert will be sounded off at 10:30 a.m. in the areas.
Participants are instructed to perform the 'duck, cover and hold' technique. They will then be evacuated to designated areas. Life-threatening aftermath scenarios, such as fire, collapsed buildings, people trapped in cars and homes will also be staged to see how rescue teams respond, the MMDA added.
Based on the map of the Valley Fault System released by the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and and Seismology, the West Valley Fault also transects portions of Bulacan (Doña Remedios Trinidad, Norzagaray, San Jose Del Monte City); Laguna (San Pedro City, Biñan, Sta Rosa, Cabuyao, Calamba); Cavite (Carmona, General Mariano Alvarez, Silang) and Rodriguez, Rizal.
MMDA Chair Francis Tolentino said the importance of regularly holding earthquake drills is to instill a culture of preparedness.
"While natural disasters cannot be prevented, mitigating measures can be put in place so that we can reduce the casualties and injuries as well as the impact on the economy," he said.
Last July 30, nearly 7 million individuals and organizations participated in the earthquake drill in all 17 local government units in Metro Manila.