DILG orders preemptive evacuation due to tsunami warning

The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) has ordered the preemptive evacuation of residents in coastal areas due to a tsunami warning triggered by a magnitude 8.7 earthquake in Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula.

The DILG issued the advisory to warn communities located near the shoreline in vulnerable coastal provinces facing the Pacific Ocean, specifically listing affected LGUs in Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.

Local chief executives in affected regions are instructed to evacuate communities near the shoreline and implement critical preparedness measures, with residents advised to stay away from beaches and move inland.

Boat owners were also told to secure their vessels and stay in deep water if already offshore.

The DILG also directed the activation of emergency operation centers and incident management teams, along with the establishment of evacuation routes, signs, and safety zones.

DILG Regional Directors in Regions 2, 3, 4-A, 5, 8, 11, and Caraga are tasked with ensuring that Local Government Units (LGUs) are prepared and coordinating with the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Councils (RDRRMCs) for prompt advisory dissemination.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) warned that coastal areas on the eastern side of the Philippines facing the Pacific Ocean might experience tsunami waves of less than one meter.