Tsunami-scare triggers panic in Calbayog City
MANILA, Philippines – Following the devastation caused by super typhoon “Yolanda” (international name Haiyan), residents of Calbayog City on Tuesday panicked and fled their homes after hearing rumors that a tsunami will hit the city, Radyo Inquirer 990AM said.
Radio reporter Ricky Brozas said his relatives from Calbayog City in Samar, among the hardest-hit areas by the typhoon, reported people running towards higher ground.
“People are out on the roads, carrying their possessions and heading towards higher ground,” he said.
On Twitter, netizens were asking government agencies if the tsunami alert was true.
One user asked the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs), “In Calbayog City, Western Samar. There’s report of tsunamis and vehicles w/ sirens are now patrolling, alerting everyone.”
Phivolcs later posted, “As of 1:00 PM November 12, 2013, Phivolcs did not issue a tsunami warning for Samar or for any other part of the country. No threat of tsunami exists for the Philippines as of the time of release of this message.”
At the height of typhoon “Yolanda,” storm surges at least 5 meters high ravaged affected coastal areas. People likened the storm surge to a tsunami, engulfing houses and other structures in its path.
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