Manila: The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) on Wednesday urged local government units (LGUs) on the northern and eastern border of the country to enforce preemptive evacuation and heightened coastal vigilance following the magnitude 8.7 earthquake off Kamchatka, Russia. The DILG issued the advisory to warn communities located near the shoreline in vulnerable coastal provinces facing the Pacific Ocean.
According to Philippines News Agency, residents living near the shoreline were advised to remain vigilant, stay away from beaches, and move further inland as a precautionary measure until the official cancellation of the tsunami advisory by the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs). Boat owners were also told to secure their vessels and stay in deep water if already offshore.
The affected LGUs include areas in Luzon such as Batanes Group of Islands, Cagayan, Isabela, Aurora, Quezon, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Albay, Sorsogon, and Catanduanes. In the Visayas, Northern Samar, Eastern Samar, Leyte, and Southern Leyte have been alerted. Mindanao regions under warning are Dinagat Islands, Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur, Davao Oriental, Davao Occidental, Davao del Sur, Davao del Norte, and Davao de Oro.
The DILG directed its regional directors in Regions 2 (Cagayan Valley), 3 (Central Luzon), 4-A (Calabarzon), 5 (Bicol), 8 (Eastern Visayas), 11 (Davao), and Caraga to ensure all LGUs are on high alert and are closely coordinating with their respective Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Councils (RDRRMCs).
Based on information from Phivolcs and the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center, tsunami waves less than 1 meter high are expected to reach the eastern seaboard of the Philippines between 1:20 p.m. and 2:40 p.m. and may persist for hours.
The DILG urged the concerned LGUs to undertake critical preparedness measures, including establishing evacuation routes, directional signs, and safe zones for at-risk communities. They were also advised to activate their respective Emergency Operations Centers and Incident Management Teams, strictly implement actions based on Operation Listo and Listong Pamayanan Tsunami Toolkit, and coordinate closely with regional and provincial DRRMCs, Phivolcs, and other relevant agencies.
