With last week’s devastating South Asia earthquake still fresh in the minds of its residents, Marikina City is currently undertaking an earthquake disaster reduction program and action plan.

The death toll from the magnitude 7.6 earthquake that struck Pakistan, India and Afghanistan has so far crossed the 40,000 mark.

"Preparations for the implementation of earthquake disaster reduction program are under way in Marikina City," City Center for Excellence (Centex) Director Julie Borje said.

Borje assured Marikina residents, however, that there is no need to panic because "we do not know when it (earthquake) will strike."

The earthquake disaster reduction program, introduced by Councilor Donn Favis, is designed to raise the level of preparedness of residents and implement mitigation technologies.

Borje said the program was a result of a series of studies and a research on where high-intensity earthquakes could hit.

The city government is being assisted in the program by US-based companies and the Japan-based Earthquake Disaster Mitigation Research Center.

"Our plan is to mitigate and reduce natural disasters and hazards," Borje said, adding that authorities are assessing the risks in case a high magnitude earthquake strikes the area.

The research identified "critical areas" in the city, Borje said. She declined to name the areas.

She also said city authorities have come up with mitigation measures.

"Earthquake is one of nature’s most damaging hazards. It can strike without warning so it is important that each person must be aware on how to protect lives and properties," added Borje.

The program concerns almost all departments of the city government. It aims to reduce the risks to life and property from earthquakes through mitigation measures, Borje said.

The city council is tasked to control and regulate the construction of buildings in identified risk areas, including areas with fault lines, landslide threat, and liquefaction threat.

Borje advised those planning to construct a house or a building in the city to look for construction workers with knowledge on seismic safety so that their planned structure could withstand the intensity of an earthquake.

"We found out that we have local construction laborers and foremen who know about seismic safety," she said.

She also said that the city is planning to open an educational center on disaster prevention next year.