The Palace called on the public to participate in the synchronized Metro Manila-wide earthquake drill on Thursday to prepare the metropolis for a possible earthquake triggered by the West Valley Fault.
“We ask the public to cooperate in the exercise,” Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said during a press briefing on Wednesday.
“I think it will be good and beneficial for all of us to be trained as to how to respond to a situation like an earthquake.”
Earthquake drills, he said, aim to prepare everyone for a major quake.
The five-hour Metro Manila earthquake drill will be staged on Thursday as part of the government’s plan to prepare residents for a possible 7.2-magnitude earthquake that could be triggered by a movement in the West Valley Fault, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) has said.
The drill will start at 10:30 a.m. and will involve Metro Manila schools, business establishments and local governments. This is expected to be one of the biggest earthquake drills to be held in the country’s capital region.
Mobile phone service and electricity across Metro Manila would be cut off during the drill. Massive traffic jams would also be simulated, as traffic lights are expected to stop functioning when electrical supply is interrupted during an earthquake, the MMDA said. (PND)