Ace Balangitan

Vlogger Sangkay Janjan claimed scientists found signs of “The Big One” in Camarines Sur.


CLAIM: Vlogger Sangkay Janjan claimed Phivolcs director said “The Big One” is coming, following the earthquake swarm in Camarines Sur.

RATING: MISLEADING

CONCLUSION: The Phivolcs director referred to the earthquake swarm possibly being a sign of a stronger earthquake, and not to “The Big One.”


In his video, the vlogger read an article by the Manila Times regarding the earthquake swarm, a short-lived sequence of minor to light earthquakes showing no identifiable significant event or main shock, in Camarines Sur.

Throughout the video entitled “MALAKAS na LINDOL Nadiskubre! Tatama sa Pilipinas?!” Sangkay Janjan continuously cited the Big One.

The claim is MISLEADING. Sangkay Janjan misrepresented what the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) Director Tereito “Toto” Bacolcol said.

Contrary to what Sangkay Janjan claimed, the director did not mention the Big One, but a big one—a stronger earthquake than the tremors.

The Big One, on the other hand, is a probable catastrophic scenario in Metro Manila and nearby areas.

Despite the news article explicitly saying the earthquake swarm was in Camarines Sur, the vlogger still expounded on the effects of the Big One, instilling fear among viewers. The World Bank estimated the Big One to be a 7.2 magnitude earthquake on the West Valley Fault. 

Sangkay Janjan likewise claimed he is not an expert but asserted that reading the Bible would explain the event. To date, the video has surpassed 100k views.

According to the article the vlogger read, an earthquake swarm with nearly 50 tremors has been recorded in Camarines Sur. 

“Another possible scenario that should not be discounted is that the earthquakes may be a precursor to a larger magnitude earthquake,” Bacolcol said.

Aside from the earthquake swarm possibly signaling a stronger earthquake, another possible scenario is a short-duration burst of quakes that can last for a few days, which also happened in Camarines Sur in 1993 and 2021.

The director also said not to worry about tsunamis as the epicenters are inland.


Edited by Christine Gaile Dimatatac


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