By Priam Nepomuceno | Philippine News Agency
The National Simultaneous Earthquake Drill (NSED) for the first quarter of this year is scheduled on March 9.
“The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), through the OCD (Office of Civil Defense), once again calls on the public to join the first quarter NSED this 09 March 2023, 2 p.m.,” the OCD said in a Facebook post on Sunday
It also reminded the public to observe the following steps or protocols when an earthquake occurs:
- When inside a building, stay calm and do the “Duck, Cover and Hold”
- Duck under a strong table and hold on to it. Stay alert for potential threats
- Stay away from glass windows, shelves, and heavy objects
- After the shaking stops, exit the building and go to the designated evacuation area
- When you are outside, move to an open area, stay away from buildings, trees, electric posts, and landslide-prone areas
- If you are in a moving vehicle, stop and exit the vehicle.
The conduct of quarterly nationwide earthquake drills is one of the government’s efforts to promote disaster preparedness and resilience among communities.
In the early hours of Feb. 16, a magnitude 6.0 earthquake jolted the province of Masbate.
As of Feb. 17, the OCD Bicol said 61 houses, 15 schools and six buildings were damaged from the tremor. – gb
