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ZAMBOANGA CITY (MindaNews / 31 March) – The Japanese government has donated P5-million worth of equipment providing a boost to the capability of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology’s (Phivolcs) seismic station in this city.
Engr. Allan Rommel Labayog, Phivolcs-Zamboanga officer-in-charge, said Tuesday that the equipment, which include tide gauge, intensity meter and solar panel, arrived last Saturday.
“The equipment were a donation from the Japanese government,” he added.
Labayog said the tide gauge will be installed at the local wharf while the intensity meter and solar panel at the compound of the seismic station in Barangay Sta. Maria.
He said the tide gauge is used to monitor waves and the change of sea level as well as to serve as tsunami early warning system while the intensity meter is to measure the intensity of an earthquake.
Labayog said the equipment, once installed, will be linked with other seismic stations in the country as well as to the main station in Manila through the internet.
He said the grant by the government of Japan is a boost to the local seismic station’s capability.
“It will be a boost in the capacity of Phivolcs in terms of monitoring natural occurrence like earthquake and tsunami,” he added.
Labayog said the installation of the equipment is very strategic since this city is very near the Sulu Trench, an earthquake generator of the region.
