San Jose, Antique – After the devastation in Japan last week, rumors through text messages about the radiation leak from the exploded nuclear power plants bring fear to many here. But according to Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council Executive Officer Broderick Train, those were just plain rumors.
“It is remote that the radioactive materials from the nuclear power plants can reach Philippines,” said Train, quoting the pronouncement from the Department of Science and Technology.
“The public should not panic,” he further.
On the other hand, he was very uncertain of the capacity of the province to respond to major earthquakes.
“The province is not capable of the geological hazards. We have no warning device systems. Although we are regularly conducting simulation exercises on search and rescue operations.”
He said that the best that their office can do is to educate the people on disaster safety and preparedness.
However, he bared that when it comes to hydro-meteorological hazards, that is typhoons and floods, they have the capability.
PHIVOCS-Antique’s Science Research Assistant Elmer Relota said that the Kelunji Recorder stationed here is non-functional. It is an equipment used to monitor the intensity, capacity and magnitude of an earthquake.
Nonetheless, he assured that the province can still avail the data as PHIVOCS Aklan and an un-manned satellite in Guimaras are relaying them here.
He further that next week they will be conducting tsunami information drive among the coastal dwellers in the municipality of San Jose, as Antique is identified as an earthquake prone province.
The strongest recorded earthquake in the Philippines had its epicenter in Anini-y on January 24, 1948, with a magnitude of 8.3, he said. It was nicknamed Lady Kaykay, said Broderick Train, as most of the devastated areas then were like, “kinakaykay” (tossed around as pertains to dust when chickens have their dust bath.)
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