NDRRMC: Philippine Government’s preparation for possible effects of tsunami, as of 9:00 PM, March 11, 2011

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National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Center

Sitrep No. 1 re: Philippine Government’s Preparation for Possible Effects of Tsunami in Japan

As of March 11, 2011, 9:00 PM

I. SITUATION OVERVIEW:

• A strong distant earthquake occurred near East Coast of HONSHU, JAPAN at 01:46 PM, 11 March 2011 (Philippine Time), located at 38.0°N, 142.5°E with depth of 10 km and a preliminary magnitude of 8.8

• An earthquake of this size has the potential to generate a destructive tsunami that can strike coastlines in the region near the epicenter within minutes to hours. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in Hawaii will monitor sea level gauges nearest the region and report if any tsunami wave activity is observed. 

• PHIVOLCS TSUNAMI ALERT LEVEL is now 2.  The concerned public is advised to BE ON ALERT FOR UNUSUAL WAVES. Based on tsunami wave models and early tide gauge  records  of the tsunami in the Pacific, coastal areas in Philippine provinces fronting the Pacific Ocean are expected  to experience wave heights of  at most one meter

• The first tsunami wave was expected to arrive between 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM March 11, 2011 Philippine time and may not always be the largest. The waves may continue for hours

• Provinces fronting the Pacific Ocean such as: Batanes Group of Islands, Cagayan, Northernmost areas of Ilocos Norte, Isabela, Quezon, Aurora, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Albay, Catanduanes, Sorsogon, Northern Samar, Eastern Samar, Leyte, Southern Leyte, Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur, Davao Oriental and Davao del Sur are strongly advised to go further inland. People are advised to stay away from the shoreline during this period and should not go to the coast to watch the tsunami

• NAMRIA reported that the following areas observed above predicted tide levels of water:

• Brgy. San Vicente, Sta. Ana, Cagayan: 1^st wave, 6:00 PM, 0.6 m; 2^nd wave, 6:20 PM 0.6m; 3^rdwave, 6:50PM, 0.4m; 4^th wave 7:30PM, 0.4m.
• Virac, Catanduanes: 1^st wave, 6:30PM, 0.4m; 2^nd wave 7:10PM, 0.6m; 3^rd wave, 7:50PM, 0.7m.
• Baler, Aurora: 1^st wave, 6:30PM. 0.4m; 7:10PM, 0.4m; 3^rd wave, 8:00PM, 0.3m.

II. ACTIONS TAKEN:

Preparedness Measures Undertaken by NDRRMC:

• Issued NDRRMC Advisory on Tsunami Bulletin Nos. 1 and  2 was to concerned OCD Regional Centers through SMS, facsimile and website for further dissemination to their respective local DRRMCs from the provincial down to the municipal levels
• The Executive Director, NDRRMC USEC Benito Ramos immediately conducted a press briefing  due  to influx of  media at the NDRRMC Operation Center to  inform  the press people that the government is on top of the situation once the Philippines  is  affected
• The NDRRMC-Member Agencies like DSWD, DOH, AFP, PCG, DILG-PNP,  DPWH, and NGCP have already pre-positioned their respective resources in terms  of equipment,  manpower  and  relief  supplies  through  their  respective Regional  Offices as  the need arises:
  • AFP is on alert status and all its Disaster Response Units are closely coordinating with Pacific Command and its aircrafts are on standby
  • DSWD‘s Crisis Intervention Unit/Disaster Management Unit and Social Welfare and Disaster Teams (CIU/DMU/SWAD) are monitoring in the different provinces for any adverse effects brought by tsunami; activated its QRT/SWAD teams to provide technical assistance to the disaster-affected local government units (LGUs) on disaster operations;  pre-positioned Php61.07 Million worth of stand-by funds, food and non-food  items in concerned DSWD–FOs readily available for augmentation support; and the Program Management Bureau – Disaster Response  Operations Monitoring and Information Center (PMB-DROMIC) is still closely coordinating with concerned DSWD-FOs
  • DILG has issued order of  pre-emptive evacuation most specially in the coastal  municipalities, cities and barangays
  • PCG issued Notice to Mariners (NOTAM) to advise ships transiting coastal areas fronting Pacific Ocean to take maximum precautionary measures and /or to take shelter as necessary. All PCG units in the coastal areas fronting Pacific Ocean have been directed not to allow ships and sea crafts to sail or to venture out to sea but to take shelter until alert level is lifted. All PCG units are also directed to coordinate; and concerned PCG units and PCG SAR – disaster response assets have been  placed on  heightened alert
  • PNP directed its PROs I, 2, 3, 5, 8, 9 and 11 to initiate appropriate preparation to lessen the impact of the possible tsunami and to assist in the evacuation of affected residents. As of 5:00 PM today, Dinagigue 980 families evacuees: Brgy. Dibolo (800); Brgy.  Digumased (100); and Brgy. Bucal Norte (80); Maconacon (150 families) – Palanan (166 families), all in Isabela. They are  residents in low-lying  areas and  are  currently staying at designated  evacuation centers
  • NGCP prepares power transmission operations and facilities for contingencies to mitigate the possible impact of a tsunami and/or earthquake. All System Operations (SO) and Operations and Maintenance (O&M) personnel of NGCP in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao have been alerted to take all the necessary precautions. Maintenance personnel of particular NGCP installations at provinces, which are expected to be affected per the tsunami alert of the PHIVOLCS, are now on standby. NGCP is also making sure all telecommunication facilities, equipment, vehicles, and materials and supplies necessary for the repair of possible damages on transmission facilities are available in strategic areas. Likewise, all NGCP’s schedule maintenance works on selected facilities nationwide have been suspended

Preparedness Measures Undertaken by RDRRMCs, PDRRMCs, M/CDRRMCs

The  Disaster  Operation Centers  (DOCs) of  OCDRCs I, II, III,  IV-A, V, VI, VII, VIII, XI, NCR, CARAGA, and ARMM have been activated and are on alert status to continuously monitor the  situation for  any possible effects in their respective areas of responsibility.

Region I

• OCDRC – OpCen  has  been  activated  and  is continuously disseminating the tsunami alert  advisories to local DRRMCs, RDRRMC-Member Agencies and tri-media through fascimile and SMS
• PDRRMC  Ilocos Norte  convene this afternoon to undertake precautionary measures and preparation of possible evacuation areas, pre-positioned dump trucks  and other  vehicles  for  emergency  evacuation   and  prepared  stock piles.
• As of 5:30 PM today, MDRRMC Pagudpud ordered the pre-emptive evacuation in four (4) barangays of Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte namely: Brgys. Pancian, Balaoi, Pasaleng  and  Poblacion
• Respective Mayors of concerned municipalities/cities and Governors of other  provinces also advised their respective DOCS to be on alert status for any eventuality

Region II

• OCDRC alerted RDRRMC Member Agencies, PDRRMCs and  C/MDRRMCs
• Closely coordinating with local DRRMCS regarding situation in AOR and  preparedness  activities undertaken
• Philippine Red Cross  Cagayan Chapter  pre-positioned  food  and non- food  items
• PDRRMC Batanes convened  an emergency meeting this  afternoon and alerted  MDRRMCs for possible  evacuation
• PDRRMC Cagayan activated MDRRMCs for possible evacuation; conducted  pre-emptive evacuation in some coastal barangays of Buguey, Sta. Teresita, Aparri, Sta. Ana, Gonzaga, Calayan, Claveria, and Ballesteros to higher  grounds; pre-positioned transportations to the Provincial Capitol, Tuguegarao City and substation in Magapit and  Lal-lo
• PDRMC- Isabela  activated its  MDRRMCs  for  possible  evacuation

Region  III

• OCDRC – OpCen initiated initial action and is continuously disseminating tsunami warning  to Local DRRMCs  likely to be  affected  specifically Aurora Province
• PDRRMC Aurora conducted an emergency meeting re: impending threat of tsunami in the province
• Communities along and near coastal areas in the 7 municipalities of Aurora implanted pre-emptive evacuation and move to higher/safer grounds
• In Baler, Aurora, 150 families have been evacuated in the Provincial Capitol (9 families) and Ermita Hills (141 families)
• DPWH 3 activated their Disaster Task Force and pre=positioned heavy equipment for possible deployment for response

Region IV-A

• RDRRMC/OCD IV-A disseminated  the tsunami information; alerted all RDRRMC Member Agencies; advised Quezon Province to  conduct  pre-emptive  evacuation  of residents living along the coastal areas facing the Pacific Ocean. DOC Quezon  is on alert  status
• Disseminated tsunami bulletin to the public through the facilities of AFP SOLCOM, PNP PRO IV-A and PIA  IV-A

Region V

• OCD V coordinated  with  all six (6) PDRRMCs to monitor  any  possible  effects  in respective  area of responsibilities
• PDRRMC Albay  advised  all  LGUs covering communities along Albay West Coast and Eastern Seaboard particularly in the islands of Rapu-Rapu, Batan, Cagraray, San Miguel to be on  preparedness status;  advised public to prepare emergency evacuation kit, identify safe evacuation route and to see to it that all members of the family knows where to proceed once evacuation order is  released
• PDRRMC Camarines Norte issued local advisories to the coastal municipalities and convened PDRRMC meeting to discuss preparations. LGU Mercedes ordered  mass evacuation to all tsunami prone  areas
• PDRRMC Catanduanes alerted all LGUs in coastal barangays at the eastern seaboard fronting the Pacific Ocean. As of  5:00 PM  today, residents in  municipalities facing Pacific Ocean: Viga, Panganiban, Bagamanoc,  Gigmoto,  Pandan , Baras, Virac, Bato and San  Andres have  evacuated  to  higher grounds
• PDRRMC Sorsogon issued advisory to coastal municipalities. PDRRMC search and  rescue team  conducted monitoring  of  sea conditions
• PDRRMC Camarines Sur  disseminated  advisory to tsunami prone  areas

Region VI

• Disseminated NDRRMC Advisories re: Tsunami Bulletins to members of RDRRMC Communications and Warning Group to include the tri-media, 6 PDRRMCs and 2 Highly Urbanized CDRRMCs for dissemination and information to the communities especially those at the coastal areas
• 82^nd IB PA offered hotline numbers (Smart and Globe)

Region VII

• Disseminated Tsunami Warning Advisories to all provinces and have already alerted all CP’s to monitor coastal areas for unusual waves and to conduct pre-emptive evacuation if needed
• PCG District central Eastern Visayas issued notice to all mariners for unusual waves especially in the eastern seaboards
• CENTCOM in close coordination with the local DRRMCs alerted operation units for monitoring of coastal waters

Region VIII

• Disseminated Tsunami Warning Advisories to the provinces of Leyte, Southern Leyte, Northern samara and Eastern Samar and have already acted upon the evacuation order and waiting for next update
• LDRRMCs concerned are currently monitoring the situations in their respective are of responsibilities especially the coastal areas

Region XI

• Disseminated   tsunami alert  to coastal  areas of  Davao Oriental  and Davao  del Sur  including   other  concerned  P/C/MDRRMCs and tri-media  for  information dissemination.
• As of 5:00 PM today, residents in the coastal areas facing the Pacific Ocean in the provinces of Davao Oriental and Davao del Sur have evacuated to safer grounds. Respective local DRRMCs are now taking cared of their  respective  evacuees

CARAGA

• Disseminated tsunami alert  to all local DRRMCs of Surigao del Norte and Surigao del Sur
• Advised local DRRMCs concerned to activate and conduct pre-emptive evacuation of  residents  living  near  the coastal  area  facing  the Pacific  Ocean
• PDRRMC Chairperson Governor Matugas of Surigao del Norte instructed the delegates  for the 14^th Palarong Pampook from Bislig City and Agusan del Sur to temporarily transferred to Surigao Norte High School Buildings from schools where   they are  currently billeted
• Mayor  Jaime  Rusillon ordered the evacuation of residents of General Luna  and San Isidro in Siargao Islands who are  living  near  the shorelines
• Governor  Pimentel of  Surigao  del Sur  ordered  all identified evacuation  in the entire  province  to be ready
• People living along  shorelines of Tandag City, Surigao del Sur voluntarily evacuated to the Provincial Capitol which is located at the higher grounds  and mobilized its  vehicles  for  evacuation purposes

NCR

• Disseminated advisories on tsunami alert to Chairperson, MDRRMC and   local DRRMCs members through SMS and fax and further advised MDRRMCs and LGUs to disseminate the information through the community leaders and local media

ARMM

• ARMM OpCen in active mode until tsunami alert warnings in the country downgraded or cancelled

Coordinated with regional front line agencies to include the AFP and PNP for any eventualities

Sources: DOST-PHIVOLCS, DILG, PNP, AFP, PCG, DSWD, DOH, NGCP, OCD Regional Centers I, II, III, IV-A, V, VI, VII, VIII, NCR, CARAGA and ARMM