MANILA, Philippines — The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) has decided to cancel the scheduled nationwide earthquake drill for the first quarter as a precautionary action amid rising concern about the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak. The event, which was supposed to be held on Thursday, was called off “to ensure public health safety of the drill participants and to prevent the possible risk of contracting COVID-19,” NDRRMC Executive Director Ricardo Jalad said in a statement Tuesday. ADVERTISEMENTThe disaster agency implements a nationwide simultaneous earthquake drill every quarter. Local government units, government offices, businesses and private groups, schools, usually participate in the activity for earthquake preparedness. President Rodrigo Duterte earlier declared a state of public health emergency after health authorities cited new recorded cases of the virus.

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer March 10, 2020 05:26 UTC