DISTRIBUTION OF

EARTHQUAKE EPICENTERS
VOLCANOES, AND
MOUNTAIN RANGES
EARTHQUAKE
Are violent shakings of the Earth’s
surface that are caused by the sudden
release of stored energy in rocks. 1
 FOCUS
Is the point from which an
earthquake originates.

EPICENTER
Is the point on Earth’s surface
directly above the focus.
MORO GULF EARTHQUAKE (1976)
With an 8.1 magnitude and a staggering number of casualties, this
Mindanao earthquake is officially the strongest and deadliest earthquake
in Philippine history.

A tsunami, towering as high as 9 meters, emanated from the epicenter 40

km off the shores of Sultan Kudarat. Because the incident happened in
the middle of the night, the inhabitants of the Moro Gulf coastline were
left with little to no time to prepare. In the end, an estimated 8,000
people either perished or went missing, and another 90,000 were left
homeless because of the properties wiped out by the tragedy.

MORO GULF EARTHQUAKE 1976

 NEGROS ORIENTAL
EARTHQUAKE (2012)
This 6.9-magnitude earthquake that hit Negros
Islands and Cebu led to the death of 52 people, at least 29
of which were buried in 30-feet high soil due to a landslide.
Meanwhile, around 112 were injured, and 62 went missing
because of the quake. 
The tremor triggered five-meter-high tsunami waves
that swept Barangay Pisong, Magtalisay, and Martilo in
Negros Oriental. PHIVOLCS released a level 2 tsunami
alert17 during the earthquake but was canceled after a two-
hour observation period during which no peculiar sea level
changes occurred. No casualty was recorded due to the
tsunami. 
Due to the shaking, a staggering 15,787 houses
were either completely or partially damaged, seven bridges
became impassable, and a road section along Dumaguete
North road was filled with rockfalls, cracks, and landslides.
TIPS TO SURVIVE AN EARTHQUAKE

BEFORE AN EARTHQUAKE

 Know the nearest evacuation site.

 Know your home’s “safe spots.”
 Create an earthquake plan.
 Prepare an emergency kit.
 Address potential home hazards.

8
TIPS TO SURVIVE AN EARTHQUAKE
DURING A EARTHQUAKE

 Drop, cover, and hold

 Move away from hazards
 Stop the vehicle
 Go to the high ground
 Walk swiftly if you’re evacuating
 If you’re trapped, make noise using metals or
any available material

9
TIPS TO SURVIVE AN EARTHQUAKE

AFTER AN EARTHQUAKE

 Prepare for aftershocks.

 Look for cracks in your home’s walls and roof.
 Stay tuned for authorities’ announcements.

10
 “
VOLCANOES
2 Are vents or openings in the crust through which
magma escape to reach Earth’s surface.
 Mt. Kanlaon,
Mayon Volcano, Albay Taal Volcano, Batangas Negros Oriental

Mt. Hibok-hibok, Mt. Pinatubo,

Mt. Bulusan, Sorsogon Camiguin Zambales
PACIFIC
RING
OF FIRE
Also called Circum-Pacific
Belt, a path along tha
Pacific Ocean that contains
about 75% of the Earth’s
volcanoes and where
approximately 90% of the
Earth’s earthquake occur.
 TSUNAMI
Is a series of large ocean
waves that forms when a
sudden vertical crustal
movement in the ocean
floor displaces a large
volume of overlying water.
VOLCANIC ERUPTION SAFETY TIPS
BEFORE

 Assembling an emergency preparedness kit.

 Creating a household evacuation plan that includes your pets.
 Staying informed about your community’s risk and response plans.
 Ensuring each family member knows how to get back in touch if you are
separated during an emergency.
 VOLCANIC ERUPTION SAFETY TIPS
DURING
 Listen to a local station on a portable, battery-operated radio or television for
updated emergency information and instructions. Local officials will give the most
appropriate advice for your particular situation.

 Follow any evacuation orders issued by authorities, and put your emergency plan
into action. Although it may seem safe to stay at home and wait out an eruption, if
you are in a hazard zone, doing so could be very dangerous.

 If indoors, close all window, doors, and dampers to keep volcanic ash from
entering.
 VOLCANIC ERUPTION SAFETY TIPS
DURING
IF YOU ARE OUTDOORS:

 Seek shelter indoors if possible.

 Stay out of designated restricted zones. Effects of a volcanic eruption can be

experienced many miles from a volcano.

 Avoid low-lying areas, areas downwind of the volcano, and river valleys
downstream of the volcano.
 VOLCANIC ERUPTION SAFETY TIPS
AFTER
 If evacuated, return only when authorities say it is safe to do so.
 Continue listening to local news or a NOAA Weather Radio for updated information
and instructions.
 If people around you are injured, practice CHECK, CALL, CARE. Check the scene
to be sure it’s safe for you to approach, call for help, and if you are trained, provide
first aid to those in need until emergency responders can arrive.
3 MOUNTAIN RANGES
Are series of mountains ranged in a line and
connected by high ground.
 HIMALAYAS

The Himalayan mountains in Asia were formed by a continental collision between the Indo-
Australian and Eurasian plates. The range is over 2,400 km long and it contains the highest peaks
anywhere on Earth. It is also one of the youngest mountain ranges and it is still growing at a rate of
1-2 inches per year.
 CORDILLERAS

The Cordillera Central, more commonly known as the Cordilleras, is a gigantic array of
mountains dominating the whole western half of Northern Luzon. It is the largest of all
the mountain ranges in the Philippines, constituting around a sixth of the entire land area
of Luzon.
 SIERRA MADRE

The Sierra Madre mountain range is also called the “backbone of Luzon,” and with good
reason. It is the longest mountain range in the Philippines; in addition, it is one of the
country’s most biodiverse areas.