Mapping Philippine Vulnerability to Environmental

Disasters
home about contact us

Executive Summary

Introduction <<< Previous Next >>

Calculating Risk

Hazards Geophysical Risk Maps

Exposure
Geophysical factors also transcend or go beyond administrative boundaries yet vulnerability to these types of
Vulnerability
disasters may be estimated according to seismic zones and/ or at the provincial level.
Risk Maps

Climate &
Weather

Geophysical

Important Findings RISK TO EARTHQUAKES

Conclusions Since 1968, PHIVOLCS has recorded twelve destructive earthquakes in the Philippines. This record includes
the infamous July 16,1990 Luzon earthquake which caused innumerable injuries and at least 1,100 deaths.
References Seismicity (geographic and historical distribution of earthquake events) is all over the country except in the
Acknowledgements Palawan region.

Project Team
The top ten provinces that are at risk to
Appendix earthquakes are:

1. Surigao Del Sur

Risk to Earthquakes 2. La Union
3. Benguet
4. Pangasinan
5. Pampanga
6. Tarlac
7. Ifugao
8. Davao Oriental
9. Nueva Vizcaya
10. Nueva Ecija

La Union and Pangasinan are prone to

earthquakes, especially the deep-focused
ones, due to the Manila Trench while
Surigao del Sur and Davao Oriental have
earthquake hazards due to Philippine
Trench and nearby active faults.
Frequency of shallow and left-lateral
strike-slip earthquakes in Nueva Vizcaya,
Nueva Ecija, Eastern Pangasinan, Benguet
and La Union can be attributed to its
location along the Philippine Fault Zone.

However, Ifugao, despite having less

earthquake occurrences is at risk because
of its very high vulnerability to disasters.

^top

RISK TO EARTHQUAKE-INDUCED LANDSLIDES

 Most of the provinces, except Palawan, are
susceptible to landslide hazards. The top
ten provinces that are at risk to earthquake-
induced shallow landslides are:
Risk to Earthquake-Induced Shallow Landslides
1. Ifugao
2. Lanao Del Sur
3. Sarangani
4. Benguet
5. Mountain Province
6. Bukidnon
7. Aurora
8. Davao del Sur
9. Davao Oriental
10. Rizal

Ifugao, Lanao del Sur and Sarangani

ranked high because of their high
vulnerability to disasters while Rizal
ranked the lowest. Benguet, despite its low
vulnerability, ranked four because of its
high exposure factor or population density.
Aurora ranked higher than Davao del Sur
and Davao Oriental despite its low
vulnerability compared with the other two
provinces. This is due to the fact that the
whole of Aurora is more susceptible to
landslide than the other two provinces.

^top

RISK TO VOLCANIC ERUPTIONS

Philippines lies within the Ring of Fire, a region of subduction zone volcanism surrounding the Pacific Ocean.
This explains the distribution of most volcanoes in the Philippines. In 1991, Mt. Pinatubo eruption was well
known to be the most violent eruption in the 20th century. Philippine Volcanoes are classified as Active, Inactive
and Potentially active. Twenty-two (22) historically active volcanoes are distributed all over the archipelago.

Since volcanoes are not present in some

provinces, these particular areas have no
risk to volcanic eruptions. The top ten
provinces at risk are:
Risk to Volcanic Eruptions
1. Camiguin
2. Sulu
3. Biliran
4. Albay
5. Bataan
6. Sorsogon
7. South Cotabato
8. Laguna
9. Camarines Sur
10. Batanes

Camiguin has the highest risk because the

land area is so small such that a volcanic
eruption can affect the whole province.
Sulu ranked second because it has the most
number of active and potentially active
volcanoes.
 ^top

RISK TO TSUNAMIS
In November 14,1994, a 7.1 magnitude earthquake in Mindoro triggered a tsunami that left at least 41 persons
dead, mostly children and old people.

Most of the coastal areas have experienced

a tsunami or have a tsunami hazard
potential. The top ten provinces that are at
risk to tsunamis are:
Risk to Tsunamis
1. Sulu
2. Tawi-tawi
3. Basilan
4. Batanes
5. Guimaras
6. Romblon
7. Siquijor
8. Surigao del Norte
9. Camiguin
10. Masbate.

Sulu and Tawi-tawi took the top two seats

because of their high potential for tsunami
owing to their location between two
nearby trenches namely, Sulu Trench and
Cotabato Trench. Moreover, both
provinces are also densely populated and
have very high vulnerability. Similarly,
most areas in Basilan and Romblon are at
high risk especially because they have
been previously affected by a tsunami.
(PHIVOLCS)

^top

COMBINED RISK TO GEOPHYSICAL DISASTERS

The composite risk map of all geophysical hazards under consideration is shown below:

Combined Risk to Geophysical Disasters