Radio jockey sued for tsunami yarn

Manila: Police have filed charges against a radio commentator who allegedly triggered hysteria among residents of Cebu City when he reportedly spread rumours that a tsunami was about to hit the area moments after a magnitude 6.9 earthquake rocked central Philippines last Monday.

Witnesses tagged Danilo Cogtas, a block time radio announcer for the Cebu-based station dyRB, as the one who was shouting in the Pasil area that there was a tsunami, a report in the regional daily The Freeman, said. "He was wearing a big ID. He was also wearing a dark sleeveless vest like the ones worn by media people," the witnesses said in their sworn statement filed with the police.

Warning

Authorities raised a tsunami warning shortly after the earthquake struck and lifted the alert after seismologists gave the all-clear signal.

Nevertheless, the radio announcer's warning spread like wildfire among hundreds of Cebu residents who rushed out of their houses and fled to higher ground.

The suspect denied the allegations.