At half-past six in the evening about a week ago (January 12), I was busy washing my coffee cup at the faculty lounge of the Institute of Geology when my colleague noticed that the ground was slightly shaking. As I was busy doing something else, I did not notice the tremor but I was not surprised knowing how prone our country is to earthquakes.

It was not until later when I checked the Facebook account of another colleague that I confirmed that indeed an earthquake had occurred. According to the USGS, the earthquake was of magnitude 5.0 with an epicenter below Mount Natib. This suddenly flooded me with the memories of the arduous geologic fieldworks in Bataan, as Mount Natib is the volcano where the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant (BNPP) rests. The field-works were with fellow volunteer geologists in the Institute where we searched for and studied the different rock units in the area look for faults and other structures that may affect the nearby power plant in the light of whether it should be reopened or not. Looking back, this earthquake says much about it.

Instead of that quake hitting the news, a much stronger and deadlier one grabbed the headlines. Just a few hours after that quake at the other side of the globe, a magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck Port Au Prince in Haiti and affected more than 3 million people and killed tens of thousands in the area.

An earthquake by definition is an intense ground shaking resulting from a sudden release of energy in the form of seismic waves. Seismology is thus essentially the study of seismic waves. This energy can be released by slippage along faults, volcanic activity or bomb blasts. Most of the destructive earthquakes in the country were generated by sudden slippage along our active faults.

Earthquakes can also trigger other hazards such as tsunamis, landslides, and ground subsidence. Tsunamis happen when the fault slippage happen in submarine grounds and much of the devastation happen in the coastal area where the gigantic wave will eventually break. The Philippines having a number of coastal communities also face a high risk from a tsunami disaster. Some scientists also associate the recorded tremors to have triggered the infamous Guin-saugon landslide in 2006.

From the world’s first seismograph invented by a Chinese Zhang Heng (78-139 AD) to the newest machines, predicting the occurrence of an earthquake remains to be one of the greatest challenges for seismologists. Some of the efforts include long-term statistical studies, survey of seismic gaps, monitoring of gas emissions and electromagnetic signals associated with the movement of active faults. However, to date, no one is capable yet to tell exactly where and when an earthquake will occur.

The Philippines is one the world’s highest in terms of frequency of earthquakes because it is located in a tectonically active region. It is situated in a convergence of three major tectonic plates in the Western Pacific region—the Pacific plate, the Eurasian plate and the Indo-australian plate. The particular generators of tremors in the country are the convergence of two subducting oceanic plates and active faults mainly the Philippine fault. The manifestations of the tectonically active condition of our country include the recent destructive earthquakes such as in February 15, 2003 in Masbate (6.2), March 6, 2002, Sultan Kudarat (6.8), November 15, 1994 in Mindoro (7.8), and in July 16, 1990 in Luzon (7.7).

Although earthquakes are still unpredictable, our collective experience would have made us aware that we all live in an earthquake hazard area. In fact, PHIVOLCS have seismic stations scattered across the country and have also constructed earthquake hazard maps. Ironically, many the areas identified to be earthquake prone are still being developed to be residential and commercial areas. Take for example the Marikina area, which is transected by the East and West Valley Faults. A number of studies by a well-known geologist have already revealed the impending danger but urban development in the area still continues.

The earthquake in Haiti and other earthquakes that struck our country shows how unprepared people can be to cope with the devastation anearthquake can cause. It may sound absurd to expect preparedness from an unexpected hazard, but it is not something unknown and the possibility of it occurring anytime is a certainty. As such, the lack of comprehensive programs of the government for disasters like this is unacceptable. Our vulnerability to disasters is not just a function of the hazards that are present in our country—earthquakes, typhoons, flooding are a part and parcel of our geographical (and geological) location. It is aggravated by poverty, lack of preparedness and proper disaster response. These should all be addressed to reduce the impacts of disasters on our lives.