A video erroneously claiming a cataclysmic event will strike Leyte and nearby towns with a series of volcanic eruptions triggering tsunamis was posted on Facebook (FB). The Office of Civil Defense (OCD) debunked this.
The video, published by a netizen on June 23, continues to circulate this week. It bore the caption: “Diyos ko po..Lord wag nyo po ipahintulot na mangyari to (Oh, my God. Lord, please don’t let this happen).”
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The video narrator in the one-and-a-half-minute clip said three volcanoes near the region – Mount Biliran, Mount Mahagnao and Mount Cabalian – will erupt simultaneously on the night of July 1, causing a huge tsunami that will submerge the entire region.
This is not true. The OCD Region VIII refuted such a claim, saying this has no scientific basis.
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“The [short video] circulating online pertaining to the schedule of multiple volcanic eruptions and tsunamis in Leyte and Southern Leyte has no scientific proof, thus, FALSE,” said the OCD, the implementing arm of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council.
The OCD further warned the public against sharing such unverified reports to “avoid confusion and panic.” People should rely on trusted institutions for information, the agency added.
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As of June 29, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) has not issued any advisory of a possible volcanic eruption or earthquake near Leyte.
Phivolcs has previously said there is no technology in the world that can predict when earthquakes will occur. (Read VERA FILES FACT CHECK: Phivolcs ‘prediction’ on possible killer quakes in Mindanao FAKE)
The video emerged amid Mayon Volcano’s increasing seismic activity in Albay which started June 8. The volcano remains under Alert Level 3, and Phivolcs “strongly recommends” nearby areas to be evacuated.
The FB netizen’s video has garnered over 2,400 comments, 4,800 shares and 397,000 views.
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(NOTE: This story was originally published by VERA Files, an independent media organization that takes an in-depth look at local current events. Visit www.verafiles.org for more.)