The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) has lifted its tsunami warning, signaling to affected communities along the country’s eastern seaboard facing the Pacific Ocean that it is now safe to go home.
Teresito Bacolcol, director of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST)-Phivolcs, announced the advisory during the press conference at the Phivolcs Auditorium following the 7.4 magnitude quake that struck the town of Manay, Davao Oriental, and was strongly felt in most parts of Mindanao at 9:43 a.m. Friday.
Affected by the tsunami warning were the coastlines of the provinces of Davao Oriental, Dinagat Islands, Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur, Leyte, Southern Leyte, and Eastern Samar.
According to Phivolcs, its sea level monitoring station for tsunami detection in Tandag, Surigao del Sur, has recorded a tsunami wave height of around 30 centimeters at 10:30 a.m.
‘With this, any effects due to the tsunami warning have largely passed and therefore, DOST-Phivolcs has now canceled all tsunami warnings issued for this event,’ the advisory said, referring to the 7.4 magnitude quake.
As of 1:50 p.m., a total of 240 aftershocks have been recorded.
Phivolcs reiterated its oft-repeated statement that earthquakes could ‘not kill, it’s the falling buildings that kill,’ to renew its reminders to local government units across the country to follow the gold standard of the country’s Building Code in constructing buildings to prevent loss of lives during quakes./coa