Makati starts retagging areas hit by fault line

The Makati City government has started retagging lots in four barangays traversed by the West Valley Fault to determine which households are within the buffer zone and will need help in relocating.

The current list of affected properties is being updated following the assessment of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) that some areas tagged earlier are outside the buffer zone or the 5-meter area on both sides of the fault line.

The Phivolcs conducted a remapping from 2011 to 2012 using recently acquired aerial photos to fill gaps in its tracing of the fault line.

“We have prioritized the retagging of properties within the West Valley Fault buffer zone and the household survey to obtain accurate data for the effective implementation of our West Valley Fault marker installation project and to determine how many households would need relocation assistance from the city government,” Mayor Abby Binay said on Tuesday.

Under the city’s zoning ordinance, the buffer zone should be converted into open spaces to avert disaster should a 7.2-magnitude earthquake be generated by the fault line’s movement.

Fault markers will also be installed as part of the revised Makati Earthquake Contingency Plan to reinforce public awareness of the location of the fault line and buffer zone.

Binay earlier held dialogues with affected residents to encourage them to relocate. Those who choose to stay will be asked to sign a waiver.