Metro disaster response plan to get an upgrade

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METRO Manila’s disaster response plan dubbed “Oplan Metro Yakal Plus” is set to get an upgrade, with tsunami being included in the risk assessment, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority said yesterday.

MMDA chief Romando Artes said this is one of the results of the meeting held last Friday between agency officials and the Metro Manila Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council.

“Ang Oplan Metro Yakal Plus ay isang comprehensive contingency plan kung saan nakapaloob ang mga protocols at procedures sakaling tumama ang “The Big One” sa Kalakhang Maynila (The Oplan Metro Yakal Plus is a comprehensive contingency plan with protocols and procedures if ever the Big One hit Metro Manila),” Artes said.

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Aside from upgrading the disaster contingency plan to deal with a magnitude 7 earthquake or stronger generated by the West Valley Fault Line that runs from Rizal to parts of Quezon City, Southern Metro Manila and Calabarzon, the agency said a response plan for tsunami will also be included.

“Plano din na repasuhin ang Metropolitan Manila Earthquake Impact Reduction Study at isasama na ang tsunami sa risk assessment (We are also planning to review the Metropolitan Manila Earthquake Impact Reduction Study to include tsunami in the risk assessment),” said MMDA Public Safety Division Head Crisanto Saruca Jr.

Oplan Metro Yakal Plus is an integrated contingency plan for earthquake and related geological hazards that builds on a previous Oplan Metro Yakal and incorporates data from the updated West Valley Fault System Atlas

It outlines the response measures if a 7.2 magnitude earthquake strikes and if there are associated threats of landslides, liquefaction, or tsunami in Metro Manila.

The West Valley Fault Line has moved four times in the last 1,400 years, or roughly every 400 years.

The last major earthquake generated by the said fault line was in 1658.

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