Phivolcs cancels tsunami advisory hours after warning of ‘unusual waves’

THE PHILIPPINES’ seismology agency canceled a tsunami advisory on Wednesday hours after warning that residents in 22 coastal provinces facing the Pacific Ocean might experience unusual sea-level disturbances triggered by amagnitude 8.8 earthquake off Kamchatka, Russia.

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“Based on available data from our sea level monitoring stations facing the Philippine Sea, no significant sea level disturbances nor destructive tsunami waves have been recorded since the 7:25 a.m. earthquake up until this cancellation,” the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said ina third advisory at 4:40 p.m.

“With this, any effects due to minor sea level disturbances have largely passed, and therefore, [it] has now canceled the recommendations issued for this event,” it added.

Earlier in the day, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) ordered the immediate evacuation of coastal communities across eastern Philippines based on Phivolcs’ warning.

“All concerned DILG regional directors must ensure that local government units (LGU) within their jurisdiction are adequately prepared for this threat,” Local Government Undersecretary Marlo L. Iringan said in a memo.

He said local governments should take urgent preparedness actions including evacuating residents living near the shoreline, activating emergency operation centers and establishing clear evacuation routes and safe zones for at-risk communities.