HERE is the worst case scenario if the so-called Big One struck Metro Manila.
According to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs), a magnitude 7.2 earthquake would leave at least 34,000 Metro Manilans dead and 114,000 injured.
Meanwhile, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said no Filipino has so far expressed intention to be repatriated from Morocco which suffered a powerful earthquake on Friday night.
“The West Valley Fault is capable of generating a magnitude 7.2 earthquake and based on a 2004 study, the expected casualties would be 34,000 in Metro Manila, plus 114,000 injured,” Phivolcs director Teresito Bacolcol in a TeleRadyo Serbisyo interview.
According to Bacolcol, the last time the West Valley Fault moved was in 1658, making it ripe for a massive quake.
An Earthquake Impact Reduction Study for the Metro Manil Development Authority (MMDA) and Phivolcs, funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency, showed a 7.2-magnitude quake could kill up to 34,000 people as13 percent of residential houses in the area collapsed. Another 100,000 people are expected to sustain injuries due to the collapsing structures, while fires would leave10 percent of public buildings unusable.
Bacolcol said a 7.2-magnitude quake in Metro Manila would cause ground ruptures and could be felt at intensity 8.
However, retrofitting buildings and houses to make them more earthquake-resilient could lessen casualties, he added.
More than 2,000 people were killed after a massive quake struck 72 kilometers (45 miles) southwest of the tourist hub of Marrakesh, wiping out entire villages in the hills of the Atlas mountain range.
The tremor was also felt in the coastal cities of Rabat, Casablanca and Agadir, where many panicked residents rushed onto the streets in the middle of the night.
The quake was reportedly the deadliest in Morocco since 1960 when the ground shook and destroyed Agadir, killing more than 12,000 people.
Bacolcol noted Moroccan authorities estimated the quake at magnitude 7.2, while the United States Geological Survey measured it at magnitude 6.8.
“So far, none of our countrymen are seeking repatriation. If any, the government is ready to assist them so that they can go home,” Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary Paul Cortez said in media briefing.
Cortez also reiterated that no Filipinos were hurt in the magnitude 6.8 earthquake that struck the North African country last week.
“There are 4,600 Filipinos in Morocco but only about 50 are in Marrakesh, which was the place hit by the earthquake. Luckily, none of our countrymen were hurt or were among the casualties,” he said.
The Philippine Embassy in Morocco earlier said no Filipinos were reported hurt or killed in the strong earthquake. Embassy personnel were also reported to be safe.
Nonetheless, Cortez urged Filipinos who will need assistance to immediately contact the Philippine Embassy in Rabat at +212660764577.
Authorities in Morocco said more than 2,000 people were killed due to the earthquake, majority of them in Al-Haouz, the epicenter, and in the Taroudant provinces.
The ministry also recorded fatalities in Ouarzazate, Chichaoua, Azilal and Youssoufia provinces, as well as in Marrakesh, Agadir and the Casablanca area.
The Moroccan government said on Saturday it was taking urgent measures to address the disaster including reinforcing search and rescue teams, providing drinking water and distributing food, tents and blankets. With AFP