№ 672. Earthquakes

Tolentino cited a study by the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica), which noted that many structures in the National Capital Region and nearby provinces would not able to withstand a 7.2-magnitude earthquake that experts believe can originate from the Marikina Valley Fault System, particularly the West Valley fault line. Based on the damage estimate by the 2004 Earthquake Impact Reduction Study for Metropolitan Manila, the potential rupture of the West Valley Fault will affect as many as 40 percent of residential buildings within Metro Manila: 170,000 residential houses will collapse while another 340,000 will be partly damaged, and 34,000 persons will die while 114,000 will be injured.