8 congressmen ‘die’ in big quake drill

At least eight lawmakers and 12 others “died” in a simulation of a massive 7.2-magnitude earthquake hitting the House of Representatives Thursday, part of the Metro Manila-wide earthquake drill.

House Secretary General Marilyn Barua-Yap said that, in the disaster scenario, at least 50 other lawmakers and employees of the chamber were “hurt” during the exercise from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

Yap said the House needed to be prepared for the “Big One” especially because the Batasang Pambansa in Quezon City was near the West Valley Fault.

“The fruit of the exercise is awareness.It’s not your usual earthquake or fire. This is going to be worse,” Yap said.

Except for a 40-year-old female employee, the drill proceeded without any untoward events.

Staff acted as pregnant women, persons with disabilities, senior citizens and earthquake victims for the metro-wide quake drill.

The House of Representatives is among the government institutions that participated in the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority’s (MMDA’s) Metro Manila Shake Drill, which aims to instruct the public on how to react in case of a 7.2-magnitude earthquake hits the metropolis.

In malls, shoppers ran to open spaces, away from fallings structures and debris. The same was done in the Malacañang compound, although President Benigno Aquino III did not participate.

Imaginary fires were doused in the Ayala area in Makati City where rescuers also rappelled and carried victims to safety.

MMDA chair Francis Tolentino said around a million people participated in the drill.

Meanwhile, four disaster scenarios were tested Thursday morning during the #MMQuakeDrill conducted at the LRT2-Santolan station depot in Marikina City.

The first featured a collapsed two-story house with the victims still inside; the second involved two electrical posts collapsing on a vehicle.

The collapse of the Marikina bridge was the third scenario, with victims falling off the bridge and being rescued using the WASSAR (Water Safety Search and Rescue) method.

The last scenario had one victim still hanging on to the bridge. The victim was rescued by rappelling Philippine Army soldiers, then transferred to a coast guard pump boat to bring him to a safe area, said East Sector deputy commander Dr. Josefina Faulan.

An LED monitor was set up to display the progress of the search and rescue operations.

Evacuees ducked, covered and held as sirens blared at exactly 10:30 a.m. for the metrowide earthquake drill spearheaded by the Metro Manila Development Authority, in preparation for “The Big One,” an anticipated 7.2-magnitude earthquake generated by the West Valley Fault, which runs through  Marikina, Pasig and Muntinlupa and other cities.

The Philippine Red Cross set up a medical station while the Department of Social Welfare and Development distributed relief goods. The Philippine Army took charge of  rescue operations.

The East Sector command post, which covers Pasig and Marikina, supervised the drill.—With a report from Beanne Guevarra and Mary Gillan Frances Ropero, INQUIRER.net trainees 

Originally posted at 12:49 pm | July 30, 2015

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