The Urgent Need for Infrastructure Audit

Runway of Surigao Airport

The Surigao Earthquake of 2017 has brought out the need for Infrastructure Audit of structures all over the country. The earthquake occurred on February 10, 2017 at 10:03 PM. PST. It had a maximum intensity of 7.

The devastation caused by the earthquake resulted in 6 deaths and 120 injured. It destroyed 300 houses and caused 7 bridges to collapse. It affected 11 towns in the province and the airport in Surigao City had to be ordered closed since its runway was damaged by the quake.

Footages shown on TV news depicted widespread structural damage not only in public buildings but also privately owned structures such as malls and commercial buildings.

It also resulted in widespread power outages and disruption of water supply to the affected Local Government Units.

To be taken of note are the collapsed 7 bridges that isolated several localities. This prevented the rapid response on relief for the affected areas.

Potable water is also one of the most needed by the survivors of the earthquake. Desperate appeals for water was the first to be received both local and national authorities.

Government building also sustained damage. The Provincial Government building had to be evacuated and the immediate convening of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council had to be undertaken outdoors since the structural integrity of the building had to be ascertained in the event of further aftershocks.

These effects were already foreseen since 2011 when the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) ordered a nationwide infrastructure audit beginning with government structures. These were then cascaded down all the way to the local level.

Results of the infrastructure audit would enable the creation of the Disaster Contingency Plan of every LGU. Also, these would be the basis for needed reinforcing of existing structures identified to be  vulnerable to such earthquake magnitude.

The Surigao Earthquake of 2017 was preceded by a 6.1 magnitude this year. Also, 7.2 magnitude earthquakes already happened in Surigao in 1879 and 1893.

The Philippines is one of the most disaster prone countries in the world since it lies along the typhoon belt of the Pacific and also located in the Pacific Ring of Fire, an area that is volcanically and seismically active in the world.