OCD urges public to stay calm in times of quakes

By Alicia E. Nicart

Friday 10th of February 2012

BORONGAN City, Eastern Samar, Feb 10 (PIA) -- Don't panic, keep calm. This was the advise of the Office of Civil Defense (OCD)-Regional Office 8, Tacloban city, Leyte, to the public during earthquakes.

Director Rey Gozon of OCD said this on Thursday, during the weekly “Harampang” program of the Philippine Information Agency (PIA)-8 where he talked to media.

According to him, people should not panic while a tremor is on-going because their decision-making is affected.
“It is better for people to remain calm during earthquakes, look for a safer place, under a durable table and Dock, Cover, and Hold which would protect you from falling debris,” Gozon said.

He also said that it is not advisable to walk while a tremor is on-going because a person could fall down easily.

“Instead, it is best to wait until the shaking is over, then move slowly to get out of the building in an orderly manner,” he added.

Further, he said that somebody should open wide the door and if it is a swing-door, it should be opened outward and people should not stand under electrical posts nor by glass walls.

“Elevators should never be used during earthquakes and if somebody is inside a high-rise building, there might not be enough time to go down, instead, if possible, it would be better to go up, because in a worse case scenario, when a building collapses, people on top are easier rescued than those underneath,” he stressed.

In closing, Gozon reiterated that people should not panic during earthquakes. He even quoted Philippine Institute of Volcanology (PhiVolcs) who said that these tremors are normal slow movement of the earth’s plates and not due to an underground volcano along Matarinao bay as earlier spread in a text scare.

However, he did not discount the fact that the province is near the Philippine trench situated along the pacific ocean, aside from the line fault somewhere southward of the province. Either movement of the two could also cause a slight quake.(PIA-8 Eastern Samar/aen)