Editorial

Coping with tremors

The island of Mindanao has gone through the “earthquake season,” as President Duterte described it, and the series of aftershocks may extend up to December with a forewarn of even a major tremor at an energy of Magnitude or Intensity 7.2 as a result of stress-loading faults.

The series of major earthquakes up to magnitude six-plus were a test case on the program of disaster preparedness and response of local government units whose financial resources or calamity funds are already depleting since the October 16 Magnitude 6.3 disturbed normalcy in quake-hit areas, especially in North Cotabato where the epicenters had been monitored.  

We have to take cognizant that the first responders are also victims of the natural disaster whose immediate attention would naturally be focused first in securing the safety of their own families. We have information that health workers refused to report to their stations because of fright over aftershocks… and this is a natural reaction as individuals primarily lean on “safety first.” So, do we have an alternate system of immediate response to disasters at a time when science has not yet mustered a technology to predict destructive earthquakes?

It’s obvious that people scamper to open grounds to settle under makeshift arrangement until the smoke is clear but only to suffer lack of necessities, foremost food and water. Vulnerable structures in big quakes are power lines, water reservoirs and pipelines, road and bridge networks, and tall buildings. Even hospital patients have to be settled on open grounds with improvised encampments.

Frightened folks say the series of quakes are no longer normal as the October tremors are unprecedented. The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology explained that Cotabato has a fault system which has lately interacted with each other, hence, the expectation of tremors until the depth is settled.

So what’s the remedy? The Phivolcs has this to say --- READINESS. Erection of physical structures and residences have to be building code-compliant, able to withstand Magnitude – Intensity 7.2, to ease casualties and fatalities. The LGUs have also to include in their inventory the standby-stocks or essentials fitted to complement evacuation sites, to name provision of tents and emergency medical wards. Temporary makeshift classrooms have also to be erected for resumption of classes once the shakes subside. So many things to do as part of disaster management. The LGUs then have to stockpile financial resources for these eventualities. Financial capability of LGUs is another challenge as to preparedness.

As these go, victims of earthquakes have one common experience. The real ones are frightening and scary but the lesson learned is the call for READINESS when disaster strikes and what resources to stock and bring along. In moments of emergencies, helping or aiding each other is part of survival. Later, norms will be developed in coping with tremors and it starts now. Of course, words are easier said than done… but we have to do our share. Foremost is PRAYER.

Listen to and heed disaster preparedness advisories so effects of disasters will be bearable.