32 Building Owners Told to Retrofit Structures for Quake Readiness

The Cebu City government has asked owners of 32 old buildings in the city to retrofit their structures which were erected prior to the enactment of the building code.

Earlier, the Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (CCDRRMC) conducted a three-week simulation last March of a magnitude 7 earthquake emanating from the Barangay Malubog, Cebu City fault.

The simulation was made following the CCDRRMC training in Iriga City, Camarines Sur conducted by the Department of Science and Technology-Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (DOST-Phivolcs).

Cebu City Councilor David Tumulak, CCDRRMC chief, said they requested all building administrators, building structural engineers to retrofit buildings erected before 1992 or before the enactment of the building code.

Tumulak said the request is part of the city’s disaster preparedness efforts.

Tumulak said an intensity 7 earthquake would be felt strongly by these old buildings if it emanates from Malubog and would affect 11,000 to 50,000 individuals if it would occur on a weekday.

But he said the number of affected individuals would depend largely on the intensity of the earthquake, density and type of building and the length of the street.

Tumulak said they want to avoid a repeat of what happened in Nepal.

Tumulak said the DOST-Phivolcs shared to them during their training a Rapid Earthquake Damage Assessment System software that generates seismic hazard and risk maps after a potentially-damaging quake. (PNA) FFC/EB/RCG