Tsunami warning over Luzon areas after Taiwan quake now canceled —PHIVOLCS

The tsunami warning issued for four areas in northern Luzon due to the magnitude 7.2 earthquake in Taiwan on Wednesday has been canceled, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) said.

In an update at 10:33 a.m., PHIVOLCS announced the cancellation of the tsunami warning which was released at 8:17 a.m.

“Based on available data of our sea level monitoring stations facing the epicentral area, no significant sea level disturbances have been recorded since 07:58 AM up until this cancellation,” PHIVOLCS said.

“With this, any effects due to the tsunami warning have largely passed and therefore DOST-PHIVOLCS has now canceled all Tsunami Warnings issued for this event,” it added.

Earlier, PHIVOLCS warned that tsunami may hit Batanes Group of Islands, Cagayan, llocos Norte, and Isabela. The first tsunami waves were forecasted to arrive between 08:33 a.m. to 10:33 a.m. (PST).

In response, the Cagayan Valley Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council ordered the  immediate evacuation from coastal areas to higher ground or to move farther inland. 

“We received a report also from OCDRO 1 that there is an ongoing preemptive evacuation from areas of Pagudpud and Currimao in Ilocos Norte,” the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said.

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) Claveria Sub-Station also temporarily halted its permission to sail, according to the Cagayan Provincial Information Office (PIO).

“Ang mga biyahero ay papunta sa mga isla ng Fuga at Calayan. Hihintayin lamang umano ang susunod na abiso mula sa PHIVOLCS bago papayagang maglayag ang mga sasakyang pandagat,” the Cagayan PIO said. 

(Travelers were heading to the islands of Fuga and Calayan. They are waiting for the next advisry from the PHIVOLCS before the vessels will be allowed to sail.)

The magnitude 7.2 earthquake that hit Taiwan on Wednesday is the strongest to hit the island in at least 25 years, according to a report by Reuters.

It struck at 07:58 a.m. at a depth of 15.5km (9.6 miles) offshore, according to Taiwan's Central Weather Administration.

The quake caused power outage and damaged buildings. —Joviland Rita/KG/ VAL, GMA Integrated News