9 FAST FACTS about the East, West Valley Quake Faults that you need to know

THE Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) on Monday released the Valley Fault System (VFS) Atlas, a handbook of large-scale maps showing in detail areas traversed by the Valley Fault System, otherwise known as the East and West Valley Quake Faults.

News headlines, radio and television announcements are already in place to let the people living in the VFS make the necessary precautions if and when this great earthquake should occur.

Houses should be at least five meters away from the fault lines and should be able to withstand a strong earthquake, the agency added.

But what really is the VFS?

1. The VFS is an active fault system in the Greater Metro Manila Area composed of two fault segments: the East Valley Fault (EVF) and the West Valley Fault (WVF).

2. The EVF, which covers several barangays in Rodriguez and San Mateo, Rizal, measures ten kilometers long while the WVF, which runs within Bulacan, Rizal, Metro Manila, Cavite and Laguna has a length of 100 kilometers.

3. The WVF will suffer a stronger earthquake compared to the EVF.

4. The WVF runs from the Angat reservoir in Bulacan through Quezon City, Marikina, Pasig, Makati, Taguig, Muntinlupa, Rodriguez Rizal, Cavite and ends in Calamba, Laguna.

5. The WVF can generate a large earthquake with Magnitude 7.2 which poses threat to people, buildings and infrastructures.

6. Phivolcs, in partnership with Geosciences Australia, conducted a study which shows that a magnitude 7.2 earthquake may kill as many as 37,000 people in Metro Manila and Rizal -- nearly six times more than the official death toll from Supertyphoon Yolanda.

7. The study also shows that serious injuries on people may reach up to 148,000, and more than three million people to be evacuated.

8. The VFS earthquake occurs every 400 to 600 years.

9. The latest quake was in circa 1658 which is 357 years ago -- this means that the great earthquake may occur in the next 43 years.


To check if your house or establishment lies on the fault lines, download the VFS Atlas HERE. (Source: ABS-CBN News) 


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