In July 1990, a 7.8-magnitude earthquake hit the Philippines, its epicenter in my hometown Cabanatuan. My mother recalls that I was so amused as the things in our room, including the bed I was on, swayed back and forth. I don't remember anything of the incident as I was only a couple of months old, but boy what bliss innocence brings.
Just last month, a massive earthquake hit Haiti. The third world nation and the rest of the world are still recovering from the said disaster but just this afternoon, Philippine time, an 8.8-magnitude quake shook Chile. Chile is part of the Ring of Fire, this is a belt where most earthquakes and volcanic eruptions occur. While we know this to be a fact, there is no accurate measure of predicting earthquakes (as are natural phenomena, they're too complex to be modeled accurately for prolonged periods of time) so its hard to actually prepare for it. Chile is quite lucky, in the regard that it's quite prosperous to be able to respond to its country's needs unlike Haiti. Still, the magnitude of the damage is severely extensive and it will not be easy to bounce back.
Unlike storms where destruction ends as the storm leaves, earthquakes have aftershocks and trigger tsunamis. Now, every island in the Pacific is on alert for possible tsunamis. Hawaii, another area quite prone to the perils of the Ring of Fire, is now the next big target of tsunamis. The Philippines, having several thousands of kilometers of coastlines, is also part of this danger. We cannot handle another big disaster. And I just can't imagine the additional political turmoil this will bring. We'll be the new Haiti if a big tsunami swallows the eastern Philippines.
Where science can no longer give cues, there is only vigilance and informed choices to rely on. Here are a couple of links that may be useful.
