The Department of Science and Technology-Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (DOST-PHIVOLCS) will commemorate the M7.8 1990 Luzon Earthquake on its 30th year this July 16 with the launch of GeoMapperPH.
On July 16, 1990, a magnitude 7.8 earthquake badly hit the provinces of La Union, Pangasinan, NuevaEcija and Baguio City, and as far as Metro Manila, Cordillera Administrative Region, and Bicol Region. The earthquake produced a 125km-long ground rupture along the Digdig segment of the Philippine Fault. The 45-second strong ground shaking caused multiple structural damages including the collapse of the Hyatt Hotel in Baguio City. Around 1,200 people were killed by the various impacts.
Throughout the years, DOST-PHIVOLCS has strengthened its Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) efforts with enhanced seismic monitoring capability that allows for faster and more accurate delivery of earthquake information. The Institute started out with only 12 seismic stations when the earthquake monitoring function was transferred from the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) in 1984. Now with 104 stations, it continuously expands the Philippine Seismic Network with additional earthquake monitoring stations equipped with state-of-the-art technology.
Its latest web-based tool, GeoMapperPH, will be launched through an online press conference dubbed as Infosentro sa PHIVOLCS that will be live-streamed via PHIVOLCS Facebook Page. GeoMapperPH is a web and mobile application designed to collect and update natural hazards, exposure, vulnerability, and coping capacity data. It empowers authorities to make comprehensive, appropriate, and well-informed decisions and actions for disaster management.
Also in line with the 30th year commemoration, PHIVOLCS encourages those who have original photos of the 1990 Luzon Earthquake to join our photo-sharing activity (https://bit.ly/2O7tKKJ) and watch our InfoBit webinar about earthquake information on July 15, 2020, 09:00 AM via PHIVOLCS FB Live.
For information, please contact:
Dr. Renato U. Solidum Jr.
Undersecretary, DOST
and Officer-In-Charge, PHIVOLCS
(+632) 8-426-1468 to 79 loc 203, 302
