Comments on: Ridiculous “Panic” in Cebu…

By: Marketman

Marketman — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 14:50:17 +0000

Josh, the epicenter was on the other side of the island of Cebu, and the earthquake occurred 2+ hours before the panic started. Since one side of Negros to the western shores of Cebu island are say just 20-40 kilometers, then a tsunami would have hit the western side of cCebu in less than 10 minutes or so after the quake. And it would NOT have greatly affected the eastern side of the island. Radio stations and other media all announced tsunami warnings and at what levels of wave height (the maximum was 1 meter threat, I believe). None of them said that the side where the city of Cebu is located was at risk or in any imminent danger. While I agree that being cautious is good, the panic in cebu was caused by people sending histrionic texts that were not based on fact. Others used bull horns to frighten citizens into a panic. And people didn’t know enough to remain cool and listen to informed sources on public radio stations. With 3 million people in Metro Cebu, if only 5% of them headed to higher ground for no reasonable threat detected at all, it would have been pandemonium. Besides, for example, with folks running up to the gates of a mountain side development, some 150+ meters above sea level, and some 6 kilometers AWAY from the sea, wanting to climb another 150 meters still higher, you have to think they are simply ignorant of the risks involved. I am not belittling the risk of a tsunami or its devastating impact, but what happened in Cebu simply shows you how ill-prepared and educated the population is about catastrophic risks and what to do in the midst of them.

By: Josh Catalano

Josh Catalano — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 12:31:03 +0000

Actually Tsunamis travel at 500-700 kilometers per hour, not everyone would have internet access to know where the epicenter was. Better to get to high ground first and sort things out from there rather than leave it too little too late. Panic no, but get to high ground for sure… (I lived on Guam when the Japan Quake hit and we were evacuated to Tsunami safe heights, I also lived in Hawaii where Tsunamis were an ever present threat and in fact my old home town of Kailua-Kona was torn up by the Japan Quake)… An overabundance of caution in coastal areas is wise not foolish, just don’t panic… I also lived in Baguio City and experienced several earthquakes there as well as having lived in Los Angeles, so I’m pretty experienced when it comes to earthquakes… The fact is that the quake that hit cebu could have easily been an advance quake before a bigger quake…

By: aji

aji — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 09:01:13 +0000

Here’s the video of people panicking.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_7eA8-65YJk

By: corrine

corrine — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 04:45:05 +0000

Text messaging is a very easy way to sow panic. People should be responsible in not causing undue fear or anxiety.

By: cebuana101

cebuana101 — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 07:25:16 +0000

so true, blessing i was home. otherwise, i would have been caught in the melee.. truly terrible…

By: lee

lee — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 02:42:10 +0000

I really hate those who spread panic by sending false text messages. It was scary yesterday when I felt the earthquake here in Bacolod City. I honestly did not know how to react. I just waited for the tremors to pass.

By: yette

yette — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 02:27:25 +0000

Hi MM. Am very glade that you and your family are are safe. When I heard of the earthquake in Cebu you and your gang were the first one that came into my mind. I don’t have any relatives in Cebu but I consider you as one of my friends albeit only on the web. Its rather unfortunate that people choose to panic first before getting the facts

By: rowena

rowena — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 02:24:13 +0000

Same here in Dumaguete City. In the hospital where I am working.
How people could be so cruel as to send false text messages about a tsunami… Its bad enough for one to be a patient lying in a hospital bed with a magnitude seven earthquake happening. We had to carry our premature babies out of the nursery and find a safe place outside of the of the building. Some patients (and their families) for the rest of the day and night preferred to stay in the makeshift tents in the open basketball court rather than go back to their airconditioned rooms in the top floors of the hospital.
Still, Something positive and good came out of this experience, we saw hospital personnel trying to place the needs and the safety of patients first before their own; consistent compassionate care.

By: rickyg

rickyg — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 00:57:24 +0000

people still have images of the tsunami in japan a year ago, guess this was foremost in their minds, once a tsunami warning is issued.

shows that we still have a long way to go in educating our populace, regarding nature and on public safety bulletins.

By: millet

millet — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 00:49:49 +0000

sad. and stupid, i’m sorry to say.