PH’s Pacific-facing areas warned of ‘minor sea-level disturbance’

MindaNews / 30 July — PHIVOLCS has warned areas facing the Pacific Ocean, including eight provinces of Mindanao’s east coast, to brace for “minor sea-level disturbance” following a magnitude 8.7 earthquake east of Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula.

Site of the magnitude 8.7 earthquake east of Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula. Map courtesy of Google

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, in an advisory released 9:22 a.m. Wednesday, said that “coastal areas in the Philippines fronting the Pacific ocean are expected to experience tsunami wave height of less than one (1) meter.”

It added that the first waves are expected to arrive between 1:20 p.m. and 2:40 p.m. Wednesday.

PHIVOLCS said the waves “may not be the largest” but are expected to “continue for hours.”

Affected areas in Mindanao are Dinagat Islands, Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur, Davao del Norte, Davao Oriental, Davao Occidental, Davao del Sur, and Davao de Oro.

In Luzon, the provinces that may be affected are Batanes, Cagayan, Isabela, Aurora, Quezon, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Albay, Sorsogon and Catanduanes. In the Visayas are Northern Samar, Eastern Samar, Leyte, and Southern Leyte.

PHIVOLCS advised people to “STAY AWAY FROM THE BEACH AND NOT TO GO TO THE COAST” and warned residents of these areas “whose houses are located very near the shoreline … to MOVE FARTHER INLAND.” (Capitalization by PHIVOLCS.)

“Owners of boats in harbors, estuaries or shallow coastal water of the above-mentioned provinces should secure their boats and move away from the waterfront. Boats already at sea during this period should stay offshore in deep waters until further advised,” it added. (MindaNews)