PHIVOLCS EARTHQUAKE DIASTER MITIGATION PROGRAM The key to effective disaster prevention is planning.
Determine whether your chosen site for development is
SEISMIC MONITORING traversed by a ground fracture or fault. Observe proper PHIVOLCS is the government agency mandated to monitor easement from fault trace. earthquake occurrences in the Philippines. One of its programs is Note the presence of other potential sources of hazards geared towards increasing peoples understanding of the causes, due to secondary effects of earthquakes like hillslopes effects, nature and physics of earthquakes and related events or facing open seas. such as tsunamis, landslides and faulting. Among the continuing Adhere to sound building and construction practices. and projected activities are studies on earthquake source mechanisms, strong ground motions, delineation of seismic zones and earthquake prediction techniques. This program generates information needed for earthquake disaster preparedness planning, vulnerability or risk studies, earthquake disaster mitigation studies, and information campaigns.
SEISMIC HAZARDS IDENTIFICATION
& MAPPING Seismic hazards identification, active fault mapping, and tsunami hazards assessment and mitigation are among the ongoing R&D projects of PHIVOLCS in order to delineate earthquake hazard prone areas in the country.
GEOLOGIC DISASTER MITIGATION MEASURES
FOR VOLCANIC DISASTERS PHIVOLCS Data Receiving Center
The first step towards safeguarding life, properties and
investments from volcanic hazards is to understand how and why they occur and know what areas are likely to be affected by these. Comply strictly with PHIVOLCS prohibition against human settlement in permanent danger zones. Always be on alert and listen to advisories of not venturing into identified restricted areas during volcanic unrest. Identify, evaluate and characterize areas vulnerable to hazards and implement appropriate land use plan and zonation. Heed warnings and evacuation orders in times of volcanic unrest.
FOR EARTHQUAKE DISASTERS
The occurrences of earthquakes cannot be prevented. Although PHILIPPINE INSTITUTE OF VOLCANOLOGY some work is currently being done to understand earthquakes in Satellite dish installed at PHIVOLCS Central Office. AND SEISMOLOGY more detail, no earthquake prediction can yet be issued with Seismic data from remote stations will be relayed to Department of Science and Technology confidence. Therefore, the only way to prevent disasters is to PHIVOLCS Central Office through satellite PHIVOLCS, July 2003 anticipate and prepare for them. communications WHAT ARE GEOLOGIC HAZARDS? PHIVOLCS VOLCANIC DISASTER MITIGATION PROGRAM Geologic hazards are normal and their earth processes occurring as irregular events which direct interaction with the environment is capable of causing significant negative impact on mans well VOLCANO MONITORING & ERUPTION PREDICTION being. Their non-rhytmic occurrence makes their predictability One of the principal mandates of PHIVOLCS is to avert or difficult. An important characteristic of many geologic hazards is mitigate disasters that may arise from volcanic eruptions. In order their prime land preference the characteristic of preferentially to accomplish this task, PHIVOLCS perform the following: occupying areas targeted by man for his use. Predict the occurrence of volcanic eruptions and Almost all types of geologic hazards occur in the Philippines determine how eruptions shall occur and also areas except hazards associated with glaciers and seasonal snowfall. likely to be affected. Hazards arising from volcanic eruptions, earthquakes and other Formulate appropriate disaster-preparedness plans and related geotectonic phenomena such as landslide, tsunami and mitigate hazards of volcanic activities through faulting are the most mitigated ones due to the recently of their Bacolor Town in Pampanga buried by Pinatubo Volcano appropriate detection, forecast and warning system; occurrence. lahar deposits. and VOLCANIC HAZARDS Exploit positive aspects of volcanoes and volcanic terrains EARTHQUAKE HAZARDS in furtherance of the socio-economic development LAVA FLOWS hot, incandescent molten rocks that efforts of the government. GROUND SHAKING - the disrupting up-down and are erupted quietly and cause permanent damage to sideways motion experienced during the event. areas they cross over by burial and extreme heat a. LIQUEFACTION is a process by which loose HAZARDS IDENTIFICATION & MAPPING PYROCLASTIC FLOWS ground hugging turbulent, saturated sand lose strength during an earthquake hot masses of fragmented volcanic rocks and ashes PHIVOLCS primary objective is to conduct R&D to identify and behave in a similar fashion to a liquid. that move rapidly down slope. It is considered the most hazards in volcanic areas with the ultimate goal of generating b. LANDSLIDE downward movement of slope dangerous because they burn and bury anything they hazards maps for active and potentially active volcanoes. materials either slowly or quickly in steep or hilly cross. areas. TEPHRA FALL (ASH FALL) showers of fine-to- GROUND RUPTURE deformation on the ground that coarse grained volcanic materials and other airborne marks the intersection of the fault plane with the earths products of volcanic eruptions. surface. LAHARS mixture of water, mud, and rock, forming a TSUNAMIS giant sea waves generated by under-sea slurry like that of a cement. Lahars destroy properties earthquake. around the volcano by burial of large areas under thick volcanic debris.
Ground rupture of the 16 July 1990 Luzon Earthquake
Glowing lava flowing down the slopes of Mt. Tabaro Maharlika Highway, Caranglan. Nueva Ecija Eruption Site during the 1969 Taal Volcano eruption.