West Valley Fault

It was estimated that once the West Valley Fault moves, the magnitude can reach to 7.2 or even higher. But just how strong is a 7.2 magnitude earthquake?

According to Phivolcs Director Renato Solidum this energy can be compared to 32 Hiroshima atomic bombs. If you have no idea how much damage a single atomic bomb can do just check out the image below.

Now, the devastation of course won’t be the same, but the energy we’re talking about is about the same only you multiply it 32 times. Remember, we’re talking about a land mass movement here and this fault is a huge landmass spanning the entirety of Metro Manila. That is why, should the West Valley fault move, it’s not just the areas along the fault line that will feel the tremor but the whole of the Metro and the underlying provinces as well.

How Strong Again?

Some of us might be used to feeling earthquakes that sway us from side to side. In fact, unless you have experienced the 1990 earthquake that rocked North Luzon and toppled the Hyatt Terraces Hotel, that may be the only movement you may think of in an event of an earthquake.

Once the West Valley Fault moves the following areas will experience an up and down motion:

Caloocan	Paranaque
Las Pinas	Pasay
Malabon	Pasig
Makati	Pateros
Mandaluyong	Quezon City
Manila	San Juan
Marikina	Taguig
Muntinlupa	Valenzuela
Navotas

Yep, up and down as if the solid mass you always believed to be solid that you’re standing on has turned into an inflatable castle, (a trampoline for those asleep or lying down when it happens). Do you know how weird that feels and how terrifying when you get to think that it’s not only the ground you’re standing on that is moving like a mellow but the entire city?

And then you start to imagine that movie from 2012…

“…why did I ever watch that movie?”

Again, no matter the distance of your city from the fault line the intensity that will be felt by these areas along the fault will be the same to every area mentioned above.

What then…

So, now that we know the movement that is likely to occur should ‘The Big One’ ever happen we should make sure to secure our appliances and furniture. Check everything that can fall on you from the ceiling or certain structures from outside of your home.

Do you have a statue or big vase on your veranda? Secure them or remove them altogether. Extra hollow blocks protruding from you establishments without support be sure to reinforce them.

Anything that is bound to fall on you from around your home should be checked. And most important of all, have a plan. We’ll talk more on that on our next issue so be sure to follow us or sign up for our email subscription so you won’t miss anything.

Note: A quake just occurred while finishing this article. We posted a breaking news about it here – Breaking.