Phivolcs to public: Avoid sharing earthquake warnings that cause panic

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) on Friday reiterated its appeal to the public to refrain posting messages about earthquakes that may likely cause “panic” among citizens.

“We cannot predict when or where an earthquake will happen. Please avoid sharing any messages that could cause confusion, panic, and fear,” Phivolcs said in a Facebook post.

NOTICE TO ALL:THERE IS NO RELIABLE TECHNOLOGY IN THE WORLD THAT CAN CONFIDENTLY PREDICT THE DATE, TIME, AND LOCATION…

Posted by Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS-DOST) on Thursday, November 8, 2018

The agency instead advised people to just always prepare for possible scenarios in case an earthquake happens, noting that there is “no reliable technology” that could predict the exact time and location of earthquakes.

“There is no reliable technology in the world that can confidently predict the date, time and location of large earthquakes. What we do is prepare earthquake scenarios of hazards and impacts to be used as guide for mitigation, preparedness and response,” Phivolcs said. /jpv