FACT CHECK: No active fault line along Cagayan de Oro

Claim: A Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) regional director said that the cities of Cagayan de Oro and Tagoloan are susceptible to a high-magnitude earthquake because they lie along a fault line.

Rating: FALSE

Why we fact-checked this: The claim had already made the rounds online as early as October 2019. The Department of National Defense Office of Civil Defense in the Zamboanga Peninsula posted an official statement on this claim on January 5, 2023. Phivolcs had also previously debunked the claim in an April 2022 post.

Fault lines. Fault lines are where earthquakes could potentially occur. Phivolcs had earlier said there are no active fault lines in Cagayan de Oro. A Tagoloan River fault, however, exists.

Experts have repeatedly said there is no way to predict when an earthquake will occur. The best practice is to be prepared when an earthquake does strike. An earthquake preparedness checklist can keep you and your family ready. – Matthew G. Yuching/Rappler.com

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