Tidal wave alert system installed in Bagac

BALANGA CITY, Bataan – The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) has installed a tidal wave alert system in a privately-owned beach resort in the coastal village of Saysain in Bagac for effective and efficient monitoring of seawater movements in the locality.

Nick S. Ancheta, Bagac municipal administrator, said the highly-sophisticated tidal wave sensor method would detect and provide local authorities with regular sea water category data of the West Philippine Sea through the built–in communication component.

Ancheta said the newly-built equipment, one of the latest monitoring facilities in the country, would supply advance information to six coastal villages of Bagac to become aware of the imminent threat from the rising of seawaters possibly due to underwater seismic activity.

According to Ancheta, the most important feature of the tidal wave alert device is the accessibility of information on tide levels will enable the public, specially the susceptible communities in the coastal areas to assess and prepare for disasters specially on storm surges and floods.

Citing the horrifying incident in 1969, Ancheta narrated the entire fishing village of Saysain was wiped out by tsunami, luckily no one was hurt because when the residents and barangay officials noticed the big waves approaching toward the community in the afternoon, they left their houses and took refuge in the nearby hill.