The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) is planning on updating its earthquake response plan, which is nearly a decade old, in preparation for a powerful earthquake that could affect Metro Manila.
In a meeting last week, the MMDA and the National Capital Region unit of the Office of Civil Defense discussed the Oplan Metro Yakal Plus, also known as the Metro Manila Earthquake Contingency Plan, according to an MMDA statement.
Crisanto Saruca Jr., head of the MMDA’s Public Safety Division, noted that the agency would also review the Metropolitan Manila Earthquake Impact Reduction Study, which is part of the Oplan Metro Yakal Plus. This review will include assessing the potential risks of a tsunami striking the region.
Oplan Metro Yakal Plus, launched in 2015, is the Metro Manila Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council’s strategy in response to a possible 7.2-magnitude earthquake along the West Valley Fault, resulting in an Intensity-8 ground shake, as outlined in a document on the MMDA’s website.
According to projections from the study, which divides Metro Manila into four quadrants, a quake of this magnitude could result in over 31,000 fatalities.
