Netizens react to magnitude 6.3 earthquake with concern, humor

MANY Filipinos tend to go online when a momentous event, such as a strong earthquake, occurs.

When a 6.3 magnitude earthquake was felt in parts of Luzon, including Metro Manila, on Thursday, #EarthquakePH immediately became a top trending topic on Twitter. 

Netizens shared videos of people evacuating buildings in areas where buildings shook. 

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) reported that the epicenter of the quake was 15 kilometers off Calatagan, Batangas, with a depth of 119 kilometers. 

It was felt at various intensities in different areas. 

Duck/Drop, Cover, and Hold

Following the incident, Phivolcs reminded Filipinos to follow the Duck/Drop, Cover, and Hold (DCH) procedure. State seismologists said this is the “safest and best way” to survive earthquakes.

“Because earthquakes come without warning, taking cover under sturdy table or furniture, and against room columns or posts during ground shaking lessen the risk of injuries,” they said.

The DCH procedure is part of the earthquake drills conducted in schools and organizations. 

But after Thursday’s temblor, some netizens expressed concern that this is not being followed during an actual earthquake. 

This was the case in the office where one netizen works.

“[L]umindol tapos wala na namang nag duck cover sa office namin. [K]akatapos lang ng earthquake drill last time eh… para saan pa ung drill kung hindi gagawin,” @ProduceMaven tweeted.

The same thing also happened in the household of Twitter user @itsnotaboutAbby.

“Naramdaman ko na agad yung mahinang nginig sa kwarto. Pero literal na napatalon pa rin ako patayo nung umuga na yung kwarto at mga blinds ng bintana. Walang duck and cover na nangyari. Takbo kami agad pababa at palabas ng bahay,” she shared.

Meanwhile, other individuals chose to open Twitter first to confirm reports about the earthquake and to give updates.

This made one @iambteves ask, “Akala ko ba ‘Duck, cover, and hold’ ang gagawin pag may lindol? Ba’t twitter una binuksan?”

“Grabiii na imbes na duck cover and hold sa twitter pumunta para mag update HAHAHAH pinoy nga naman,” Twitter user @anjo_ereve wrote.

Lindol entries

Filipinos know what comes next after earthquake reports: lindol hugots and memes.

One of those who posted a comical entry was netizen @johansalarda, who shared a meme of a guy running towards his computer to post a Facebook status that read, “Buti pa yung lindol nagpaparamdam…”

Twitter user @ohthoughtsquote, meanwhile, responded to those asking if there was really an earthquake by sharing a meme of a hand holding a lato-lato. 

Lato-lato is a toy that people play with by trying to get two balls connected by a string to hit each other. It has become popular in recent days.

“Lumindol ba? No, nag lato-lato lang ang Universe,” he said.

Earthquakes happen due to various causes, including movement of tectonic plates, volcanic eruptions, underground explosions, and induced quaking.

However, a Filipino fan of K-pop girl group TWICE had a funny theory about the Calatagan earthquake.

“May nakita akong tweet, sabay sabay raw nagdabog PH ONCEs kaya lumindol,” fan account @krcato tweeted, referencing the ticket selling for the group’s Bulacan concert, which began today.