6.8 EARTHQUAKE

Early this morning, I received this sms saying that a 6.8 earthquake is predicted by the US GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY in Hawaii to hit Philippine plates tonight, 15 May 2008. Although I do not discount the possibility that the Philippines will experience a strong earthquake sooner or later (our country lies on an earthquake belt), I have some apprehensions about the 6.8 earthquake prediction.

First, I think that the agency in the United States that is considered to be the authority on earthquakes is the US GEOLOGICAL SURVEY. This actually is the US counterpart of our very own PHIVOLCS. I did not know that a certain US Geological Society exists.

Second, I took up a few Geology major subjects under my B.S. Geology program at NIGS  and we were taught that nobody can predict earthquake as we can predict storms and typhoons. Hence, this US Geological Society prediction about the 6.8 earthquake is something new to me. I thought that even the most advanced USGS cannot predict earthquakes but here is the US Geological Society predicting not just the occurence of an earthquake but also the time as well as the magnitude of it. If ever the US Geological Society really exists, I believe that the person who started this 6.8 earthquake prediction should be held accountable.

One good thing that this sms brings us, though, is that people are becoming more aware and alert on the possibility of the occurence of a destructive earthquake in the Philippines. Most of us actually might not be aware but since January 2008 until 14 May 2008, the Philippines has experienced more than eighty earhquakes with magnitudes ranging from 1.9 to 6.5 (PHIVOLCS, Latest Earthquake Information, see the list). 

There is no need to panic. Let’s just be more alert and be always prepared because the occurence of a strong, desctructive earthquake in the Philippines is not remote. And, let us all wait for the clarification and announcement from PHIVOLCS officials.