Update 12 May 2014 Dr Rafael P Saldaa

Update, 12 May 2014 Dr. Rafael P. Saldaña, Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU, Philippines) Tsunamis in the Philippines 1976: On August 16, 1976 at 12: 11 A. M. , a devastating earthquake of 7. 9 hit the island of Mindanao, Philippines. It created a tsunami that devastated more than 700 km of coastline bordering Moro Gulf in the North Celebes Sea. An estimated number of victims for this tragedy left 5, 000 dead, 2, 200 missing or presumed dead, more than 9, 500 injured and a total of 93, 500 people were left homeless. It devastated the cities of Cotabato, Pagadian, and Zamboanga, and the provinces of Basilan, Lanao del Norte, Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao, Sultan Kudarat, Sulu, and Zamboanga del Sur. 1994: Prior to March 2011, the last recorded tsunami in the Philippines, that actually caused loss of life, occurred in the Verde Island Passage (between Batangas & Mindoro Island, affecting Puerto Galera) in the early morning of 15 th November 1994, originating from a 7. 1 magnitude (Richter) earthquake, 11 KM West of the Baco Islands, according to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology. The tsunami waves, resulting from the 7. 1 magnitude earthquake, were measured at 6 meters in many areas when they reached land, but up to 8. 5 meters in a few locations (primarily the Baco islands) where the bathymetry was favorable; the tsunami waves reached up to 250 meters inland in areas that faced the earthquake epicenter. The death toll was 41 people. 2011: The last measurable tsunami in the Philippines affected the northern and the eastern seaboards on 11 th March, 2011. In that event, tsunami waves of around half a meter, resulting from a relatively shallow and very large 8. 9 magnitude earthquake off the coast off Miyagi prefecture, Honshu, Japan, arrived in the early evening and caused little or no damage, and no loss of life. Research Initiatives on Tsunamis in the Philippines • Tsunami Hazard Assessment and Mitigation Program c/o Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOCS). Objectives: (1) Survey and mapping of known areas affected by major tsunami in the Philippines; (2) Delineate tsunami –prone areas through the utilization of available remotely-sensed data; (3) Undertake trenching and coring activities on areas with tsunami de[posit; (4) Assess and design tsunami safety structures for local inhabitants; (5) Incorporate all vital results of the project in educational materials, meetings, and seminar-workshop to inform and educate local inhabitants about their risk in future tsunami events and how they could cope and mitigate possible damage. • Assessment of the Tsunami Alert in Eastern Samar and Leyte Islands, Philippines. A Project of the German Cooperation (GIZ), published in August 31, 2012.