Iloilo City, Philippines, 17 June 2012, (0000Z)–As the Philippines continue to monitor the progress of a huge and intense “Super Typhoon,” off the Eastern seaboards of Luzon, a massive temblor has hit the other side of Luzon, where most of the people across much of the country awakes to a beautiful Sunday morning, perhaps shaken this early, and considering today is “Father’s Day” across the globe. With much concern on the ongoing disruptions nationwide as the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), has been quite successful in consistently reminding the people of the possible ill-effects of the barreling Typhoon dubbed internationally as “Guchol,” locally named as “Butchoy.”  Combine the best efforts of the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (RDRRMCs) spread across the country has bear fruit, with a wider latitude of participation by local authorities in their respective jurisdictions, down to the grassroots level. At this point, I would like to hail initially the resounding state of preparedness has been exceptional this time as more Typhoons come our way, and the national government agencies tasked to ensure public safety and awareness of impending perils of bad weather has been a powerful tool in reducing the potential for loss of life. The only side-effect this has caused was a long, arduous wait of when the Typhoon should leave the country’s area of responsibility.

Fig. 1.0 "A monstrosity in the works as Super Typhoon 'Guchol/Butchoy,' kicks off high seas, extreme winds across East Philippine Sea. Imagery Courtesy: NOAA."

Fig. 2.0 "JMA Tropical Cyclone Information issued at 0055Z (0855AM-PHL). Image Courtesy: JMA."

Luzon Awakened By Shaking

Recounting the dangers of dawn temblors, millions of people across the Western sections of Luzon has felt the violent and sustained shaking at around 2218.48z (0618.48AM-PHL), Sunday, 17 June 2012, for about 48-52 seconds according to a radio interviewee broadcast live on local radio, DzRH Manila 666kHz, wherein listeners tuning in on the reports have been relaying what they have felt early on. TheUnited States Geological Survey (USGS), pegged the Earthquake to be centered at 15.574N-119.609E, 58 mi (94 km) Southwest of Dagupan City, Pangasinan in Western Luzon, 71 mi (115 km) or West-northwest of Angeles City, Philippines, with a depth of 21.9 mi (35.3 km) beneath the surface, so it was clear that it was widely felt across much of Luzon,.

Fig. 3.0 "Shake Map courtesy USGS indicate how strong the jolt was this morning. Image Courtesy: USGS."

Fig. 4.0 "Massive 6.1 Mb temblor as depicted suggests the exposure to violent shaking per populated location across much of Luzon and Southern Tagalog Regions. Image Courtesy: USGS."

According to Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS), pegged the massive temblor at Intensity VI which struck 15.61N-119.46E, 32 mi (52 km) Southwest of Candelaria, Zambales, it was measured to be 7.4 mi (12 km) beneath the surface considered as very shallow, widely felt.

In their bulletin issued at 2235Z (0635AM-PHL), Intensity IV was felt across Bolinao, Pangasinan and Makati City; Intensity III was felt in Quezon City and San Fernando, La Union; Intensity II was also being felt at Bacoor, Cavite and Plaridel, Bulacan; while Intensity I was felt as far as Tagaytay City in the South.

Fig. 5.0 "A PHIVOLCS map indicate where the Intensity VI earthquake was located off shore Luzon Sea. Image Courtesy: PHIVOLCS."

No Damage Reported, Tsunami

The local government across Pangasinan, specifically nearest the epicenter, in Iba, Zambales,  assessment teams have been deputized to do an inspection to areas where possible damage to infrastructure could have been incurred. So far, no damage was being reported there. In Dagupan City, Pangasinan, most of the people who were awakened by the suddenness of the violence, thought of an approaching freight train, and some locals jumped off their beds and ran for higher ground in the fear of an ensuing Tsunami along the immediate coast.

Since the seismic event occurred in shallow waters, and was tectonic in origin, considering its amplitude of movement, it was no close to generate even a localized Tsunami, however residents along adjacent coastlines should be made aware of strong undersea currents that may have been resulted by the tremors and the unsettling ground underneath the sea to be extra vigilant and do not venture too far from the coast as sea level may fluctuate from its normal levels.

 PHIVOLCS Early Tsunami Warning System

Having said the fear of the unknown, the government has been forging a workable Tsunami Warning Systems deployed across Luzon Sea, and the rest of the archipelago of 7107 Islands and Isletscovered by vast seas–a massive undertaking.

A Tsunami Warning System has been put into place, a collaborative effort from Department of Science and Technology (DOST)-Advanced Science and Technology Institute (ASTI), andPHIVOLCS, which aims to help the Local Government Units (LGUs) nearest the coastlines most prone to Tsunamis with strategically designated sea level rise sensors that are designed to send off adequate warning of an approaching Tsunami.

Fig. 6.0 "Tsunami Warning System developed by ASTI for DOST, installed along Lubang Island port in Mindoro Island. Image Courtesy: DOST-ASTI."

These systems are using the readily available, wide range GSM-GPRS data communication made and developed by ASTI, which are interconnected with PHIVOLCS Data Receiving Center (PDRC) as data bank of Tsunami sensors where it will be received and consolidated for a quick and effective policy formulation in combating the threat to coastlines. There’s also the rapid communication tools and mass alerting systems will include the GSM-triggered sirens earlier developed by DOST-ASTI. These sirens are currently being tested as part of the Manila Bay Tsunami Detection System.

The wet and dry sensors of PHIVOLCS will be complemented by the Ultrasonic Tsunami Sensorsalso developed by ASTI, which will be installed in all the proposed tsunami detection sites. These sensors will record the complete history of the tsunami amplitude and the tsunami waveforms will be transmitted to the PDRC using GSM-GPRS modems. In case the GSM-GPRS communication is disabled, the system will automatically switch on the satellite module to provide the redundant communication.

Fig. 7.0 "How the Tsunami Warning System works. Image Courtesy: DOST-ASTI."

On top of this, the system can also be used to warn of other natural calamities such as lahar flow, typhoon, flash flood, and land slide, among others through minor changes in the program.

Gargantuan Challenge Ahead

A throbbing clamour yet again for Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) has yet again been ultra-conservative in their issuance of bulletins and storm warnings. This has been a long practice in the agency and a multitude of Filipinos across the archipelago aren’t much permissive in letting off their grip, where in most of cases in the past, a lot of people had been subjected to unfortunate surprises, which eventually led to the demise of thousands of lives all in the mercy of the mighty tempest that came a long way out to sea.

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Staff News Reporter