Part 1: Can your house withstand major earthquakes?

MANILA, Philippines — “Ground shaking does not kill. Collapsing buildings do.”

This was what Philippine Institute for Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) Director Renato Solidum stressed in a conversation with Rappler about Metro Manila earthquake scenarios. (READ: What dangers await when the West Valley Fault line moves?)

The question is, are buildings and homes in the Philippines built to withstand the worst-case scenario — a 7.2 magnitude earthquake along the West Valley Fault, a fault line that cuts through Metro Manila?

According to engineers, these structures could survive major earthquakes if home owners followed proper building procedures and if the design and materials used during construction are compliant with the 2010 National Structural Code of the Philippines (NSCP).

In February 2014, PHIVOLCS, the Association of Structural Engineers of the Philippines (ASEP) and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) translated the essential features of this code into a 12-point questionnaire that homeowners could use to assess the earthquake-readiness of homes. (READ: 12-point checklist for an earthquake-resistant house)

The features recommended in the checklist were tested by a full-scale shaking table experiment conducted by Filipino and Japanese experts. (WATCH: Tool to check earthquake readiness of PH houses launched)

Take this Rappler interactive quiz that’s based on the 12-point checklist. Find out if your house is earthquake-ready. 

The higher your house scores, the safer it is. If your house scores 0 to 7, you may want to consult a structural engineer immediately. – Rappler.com

Part  2: What makes buildings earthquake-ready?