Santa Ana:The Office of Civil Defense (OCD) announced that the 4th quarter Nationwide Simultaneous Earthquake Drill (NSED) on November 5 is designed to evaluate the government's and communities' readiness to respond to a magnitude 8.5 earthquake-tsunami scenario.
According to Philippines News Agency, the event will test the preparedness of government agencies, local government units (LGUs), emergency responders, and communities through a simulated disaster scenario in Santa Ana, Cagayan. This drill is a highlight of the 4th quarter NSED.
The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) agencies will participate, with a ceremonial button press at 9 a.m. to initiate the "Duck, Cover, and Hold" procedure and evacuation drill. The scenario will simulate a magnitude 8.5 earthquake with an epicenter 180 kilometers southeast of Santa Ana, Cagayan, caused by movement along the East Luzon Trough.
The exercise aims to evaluate and enhance Santa Ana, Cagayan's disaster preparedness, focusing on their contingency plan for earthquakes and tsunamis and the Regional Disaster Response Plan's implementation. The drill will test various emergency response operations, including early warning system activation, community evacuation, telecommunications, incident management, logistics coordination, mass casualty management, search, rescue, and more.
In addition to Santa Ana, earthquake drills will be conducted nationwide, led by OCD regional offices. The 4th quarter NSED coincides with World Tsunami Awareness Day (WTAD) 2026, themed "Resilience Starts with You."
The NSED and WTAD observance includes the "Over Coffee Dialogues Earthquake and Tsunami Preparedness" forum, gathering government experts and international disaster risk reduction practitioners. The OCD encourages public participation in the NSED to familiarize themselves with safety measures for earthquakes and tsunamis.
