When Panic Strikes...
Tsunami scare in Cebu City-Photo by Philstar.com When panic strikes traces of sanity vanish! Such was the case when an intensity 7 earthquake struck Cebu-Negros region yesterday. Within minutes after the said earthquake, rumors of of an impending tsunami went wild, sending people into to the streets scrambling for higher grounds. Philvolcs did issue a tsunami alert level 2 for the eastern shores of Negros Island and Western parts of Cebu. At alert level 2, which is characterize with waves of up to 3 feet (1 m)high, the likelihood of devastating effects is minimal. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in Hawaii did not issue any tsunami alert stating that "based on all available data, a destructive Pacific-wide tsunami is not expected." The move to announce alert level 2 for Negros' eastern shores and Cebu's western shores may not have been totally baseless. For one, there was a magnitude 7 earthquake and the announcement was a very good precautionary measure i...