Media on the Quakes: Missing the Science of It

ON APRIL 22, a 6.1 magnitude earthquake shook parts of Luzon, its epicenter in Castillejos, Zambales, resulting in 18 fatalities and PHP505 million worth of infrastructure damage. The following day, a temblor with 6.5 magnitude struck in Eastern Samar with its epicenter in the municipality of San Julian and caused only minor injuries and minimal damage.

Media reports tracked how relevant national agencies, local government units (LGU) and private sector groups responded to the needs of affected communities, and transmitted information from the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs), the country’s lead agency on geotectonic phenomena such as volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, tsunami.

News coverage was straightforward and reporters took care not to cause unnecessary panic despite noting aftershocks in the days that followed.

The media’s focus on disaster response, however, buried the few reports which detailed the science of earthquakes. Media missed the opportunity to educate the public and explain aspects of such tectonic events, which was unfortunate as people are most attentive in the aftermath of its actual experience.

CMFR monitored reports from the three national broadsheets (Manila Bulletin, Philippine Daily Inquirer, The Philippine Star), primetime newscasts (ABS-CBN 2’s TV Patrol, CNN Philippines’ News Night, GMA-7’s 24 Oras and TV5’s Aksyon), as well as selected news websites from April 22 to 30, 2019.

Straightforward Coverage

Initial reports online, on television, and in newspaper editions on April 23, recalled the turn of events in the areas affected by the Zambales earthquake. Subsequent reports looked into the search and rescue efforts in a four-story building which housed the Chuzon Supermarket in Porac, Pampanga, and provided assessments of infrastructure damage in the areas affected.

News accounts also looked into the damage of the earthquake in Eastern Samar and surrounding region. Reports, citing Phivolcs, clarified that the quake was not related to the earlier one in Luzon, as the two involved different tectonic plates – the one in Zambales involved a previously unknown fault  (“blind fault”) while movement along the Philippine Trench triggered the Samar quake, according to Phivolcs Director Renato Solidum. Aside from the aftershocks from the two main earthquakes, other minor, separate quakes detected days after those in Zambales and Eastern Samar were also noted in the coverage. Reports also clarified that these were not related to the two stronger quakes.

Coverage waned as the week ended. By this time, news accounts had shifted to providing routine updates on the clearing operations on the collapsed supermarket, as well as the possible filing of charges against the establishment’s owner. Media also reported complaints made by the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) against some business establishments which failed to implement proper evacuation procedures, noting how this endangered the safety of workers.

The Science of It

Media’s learning curve in reporting severe weather phenomena such as typhoons and its effects, the difference between tsunami and storm surge, should be applied to every other kind of disaster to which the country is prone.

As an unpredictable natural phenomenon, an earthquake when it occurs warrants detailed discussion in reports, especially since there are still misconceptions about how these occur. Following the April 22 quake, Phivolcs warned against claims  circulating in social media that a 7.1 earthquake would follow the Zambales tremor.

CMFR observed that while some news accounts included some scientific notes, these were often only mentioned in passing and were not as emphasized in reports.

But there were also instances when these were given more focus.

On April 25, an explainer by Aksyon anchor Ed Lingao discussed when aftershocks and foreshocks happen and what causes these. Meanwhile, a Rappler report posted on the same day listed and explained key earthquake terms and used accompanying graphics, making the scientific information easier to understand.

The different aspects of disasters, the extent of damage, the needs assessment and how government and public respond are all important. Filipino journalists have improved the quality of coverage of weather disasters. It is time to do the same with earthquakes.