NAMRIA participated in the 4th quarter Nationwide Simultaneous Earthquake Drill (NSED) held in Fort Andres Bonifacio, Taguig City on 09 November 2023. The activity also facilitated the pilot testing of the NAMRIA Public Service Continuity Plan (PSCP).

 

NAMRIA personnel performed the various phases of an earthquake drill during the exercise, including sounding the alarm, carrying out the duck, cover, and hold procedure, evacuation, assembly, headcount, and evaluation.

 

The quarterly NSED aims to prepare the public for the potential effects of a strong earthquake, particularly the "Big One." This term refers to a major earthquake that could result from the movement of the West Valley Fault, a 100-kilometer fault line that passes through six cities in Metro Manila and neighboring provinces.

 

The pilot testing of the NAMRIA PSCP was also conducted to assess the agency's ability to resume its operations following a disruption or disaster and restore its systems, applications, and functions within a defined time frame.

 

The exercise intended to evaluate the effectiveness of implementing the NAMRIA PSCP. Specifically, it measured the awareness of the agency's personnel regarding different critical procedures, identified any gaps between the plan and its actual implementation, and made necessary recommendations to update the plan.

 

The Philippines is a seismically active country with approximately 90 destructive earthquakes and 40 tsunamis recorded in the past 400 years. Strong earthquakes can lead to different hazards such as ground shaking, ground ruptures, liquefaction, tsunamis, and earthquake-induced landslides. Increased awareness and preparedness will enhance the public's capability to effectively mitigate natural hazards and manage disasters.