Indonesia quake won't affect RP

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology allayed fears yesterday that the earthquake and tsunami that hit Indonesia would affect the Philippines.

Phivolcs director Renato Solidum said “any earthquake and tsunami that occur at Sumatra in the Indian Ocean will not affect the Philippines.”

He explained that the tremor is far from the country and that the trench/fault that caused the quake in Sumatra is not directly connected with faults or trenches in the Philippines.

“Thus, there would be no effect,” he said.

He added that the tsunami generated in the Indian Ocean cannot spread to the Philippines as the Sumatra Island, Java, Malay Peninsula and Borneo Island would serve as a barrier.

Over 150 people died due to the tsunami in Indonesia. About 400 others were missing.

No Filipinos affected

Meanwhile, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said the tsunami and the 7.7-magnitude earthquake in Sumatra affected no Filipino.

Citing a report from the Philippine embassy in Jakarta, the DFA said the embassy continues to coordinate with local authorities in affected areas as well as with the Filipino community in Indonesia for any assistance.

Most Filipinos reside in Jakarta and the main Java islands working as engineers, managers, supervisors and teachers.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo directed officials to prepare for a possible humanitarian team to assist in rescue and rehabilitation efforts in Indonesia.

Romulo issued the directive from Hanoi, Vietnam, where he is accompanying President Aquino on a state visit to Vietnam and attendance at the 17th Association of Southeast Asian Nations Summit.