MMDA: 4-day quake drill starts Friday afternoon

The ground will shake for 45 seconds and electric power will be cut off.

This is the scenario for the third Metro Manila-wide earthquake drill to be conducted by the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) starting at 4 p.m. today.

The drill will run for four days to include the response of nearby regions and test the business continuity plans of the private sector, according to MMDA chair Danny Lim.

The first Shake Drill was held on July 30, 2015, to heighten multisectoral preparations for a major earthquake emanating from the West Valley Fault. Experts say the 100-kilometer fault becomes ripe for movement every 400 to 600 years.

A signal will sound off at 4 p.m. to start this year’s exercise. Like the first two drills, the scripted scenarios include fires breaking out and structures collapsing, leaving multitudes dead and injured.

The following command centers will be set up: Veterans Memorial Medical Center (north); Marikina Boys Town, Red Cross compound, LRT Santolan (east); Intramuros golf course (west); and Villamor Airbase (south). —ERIKA SAULER