(Eagle News)—The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology on Tuesday, April 23, cautioned the public against disseminating a message circulating online that warned of an impending 7.1-magnitude earthquake, after the 6.1-magnitude quake that struck the country on Monday afternoon.
According to PHIVOLCS, the message “MAHALAGANG PABATID SA LAHAT! Warning ng Philvocs sa atin sa lindol na mararanasan sa Metro Manila. May 100 kilometrong fault line na sa kasalukuyan ay nasa Bulacan, Quezon City, Markina, Pasig, Makati, Taguig, Muntinlupa, Rizal, Cavite at Laguna na kung saan ay maaring maranasan ang intensity 7.1 na lindol,” did not come from PHIVOLCS, which finds there is no basis for the issuance of such a warning in the first place.
“Sa kasalukuyan, wala pang teknolohiya sa buong mundo na maaring malaman kung kailan maaaring maganap ang isang malakas na lindol,” PHIVOLCS said.
It added the message was contained in the agency’s Oplan Yakal Plus, a contingency plan made public by PHIVOLCS recently.
“Hinihikayat ang mga nakatanggap ng mensahe na iwasan na ang pagpapakalat nito sa text at Internet…Bagama’t ganito, patuloy na minamatyagan ng DOST-PHIVOLCS ang mga lugar na pinagmumulan ng lindol upang magbigay ng sapat na abiso ayon sa nakalap na datos lalo na kapag may kakaibang nangyayari sa mga ito,” it added.