The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) on Sunday afternoon has cancelled the tsunami alert issued after a powerful earthquake hit Chile Saturday.
“As of 3:00 p.m. 28 February 2010, Phivolcs has not received any reports of unusual significant sea level changes within the projected arrival period of tsunami waves in the Philippine coasts (1:00PM to 2:30PM),” the Phivolcs said in a bulletin posted on their web site. (Phivolcs web site: Tsunami Alert Cancellation)
Phivolcs issued tsunami alert level 1 on Saturday and elevated the warning to the second level on Sunday morning, advising the public to be on the lookout for “unusual waves” near the coast.
‚ÄúBy 4:30 p.m. on February 28, if no other significant sea level changes were observed, local authorities and the public can assume that the tsunami threat has passed. People may resume their normal activities,” added on Philvocs bulletin.
Phivolcs Director Renato Solidum denied that the agency had overreacted to the tsunami threat. “It is the response that matters most,” he told the ANC.
Villagers living near the Philippines’ eastern coast were advised to move to higher ground, as the Phivolcs warned of waves as high as a meter between 1 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. Local volcanologists, however, were quick to point out that the waves were unlikely to cause major damage.
The earthquake in Chile was far stronger than the one that struck Haiti last month, but the death toll only ran in the hundreds compared with Haiti’s about 220,000. The reason is since the South American country is wealthier and infinitely better prepared, with strict building codes, robust emergency response and a long history of handling seismic catastrophes.
Lesson to be learned on this is, it is always pays to be ready.
Posts Tagged ‘chile earthquake update’
Phivolcs Cancels Tsunami Alert
by admin, on Sun, Feb 28 2010 | No Comments
Strong Earthquake Shakes Chile
by admin, on Sat, Feb 27 2010 | No Comments
An 8.8 magnitude earthquake shakes Chile yesterday. It is one of the strongest earthquakes on record killed at least 300 (body count is still rising as of report time) people in Chile. The quake also sent giant waves roaring across the Pacific Ocean that forced Japan, Hawaii, Philippines and other countries on the Pacific on tsunami alert almost a day later.
In an address to the nation, President Michelle Bachelet said two million Chileans had been affected but, after touring the worst-hit areas by plane, she found it hard to spell out the magnitude of the disaster.
Highways in the South American nation were sliced to pieces, bridges imploded and buildings collapsed as the 8.8-magnitude earthquake struck overnight some 325 kilometers (200 miles) southwest of the capital Santiago.
“The power of nature has again struck our country,” Bachelet said, declaring six of Chile’s 15 regions “catastrophe zones” in the aftermath of the 8.8-magnitude quake.
“This is a catastrophe of immense proportions, so it will be very difficult to give precise figures,” Interior Minister Edmundo Perez Yoma said. Officials later said at least 300 people had been killed.
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