Quake damage nears P1 B; aftershocks continue

Damage due to the magnitude 6.7 earthquake that hit Surigao del Norte on Feb. 10 is almost P1 billion even as aftershocks continued to shake the province and nearby areas.

Initial damage to infrastructure reached P716 million, Ricardo Jalad, National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council ( NDRRMC) executive director and Office of Civil Defense administrator, said yesterday.

Roads, bridges, hospitals and health centers, schools, port facilities, power and water systems as well government and private buildings, including residential houses, were among those damaged by the quake that also left six people dead and over 200 others injured. A total of 395 houses were destroyed and 5,369 others incurred structural damages.

Jalad said 17 of those injured were hospitalized in the province and five transferred to other hospitals.

The NDRRMC said 5,838 families or 29,190 individuals were affected by the quake in Surigao del Norte alone. The government provided assistance to the victims amounting to P13,184,906.69.

“A pool of psychological support providers are conducting sessions in the towns of Malimono and San Francisco and Surigao City to help traumatized residents,” Jalad said.

Most damaged water systems were restored on Wednesday, but water supply remains low in some areas.

211 aftershocks

As of noon yesterday, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said it monitored 211 aftershocks, 98 of which were magnitudes 2 and above.

At 5: 18 p. m. on Friday, a magnitude 4.6 quake struck 22 kilometers southwest of Surigao City, where it was felt at Intensity 5.

The quake was also felt at Intensity 4 in Sison town. It was felt at Intensity 3 in Alegria also in Surigao del Norte, San Jose in Dinagat and Gingoog City in Misamis Oriental.

No damage was reported in relation to the quake.

Phivolcs Director Renato Solidum earlier said aftershocks might be experienced for several weeks.

P2-B aid

Meanwhile, in Surigao City, residents of Barangay San Juan whose houses were destroyed by the quake trooped to the barangay hall yesterday to seek government assistance.

The residents were asking about the P2-billion aid that President Duterte mentioned during his visit to the city on Sunday.

The President said he would release the amount for those who lost their loved ones and as a source of livelihood of quake victims.

The residents said it was clear to them that the President promised the P2 billion to quake victims.

However, Presidential Communications and Operations Office Secretary Martin Andanar clarified that the President was referring to people to be affected by the closure of more than 20 mining firms that violated environmental laws.

Local officials said they were saddened by the conflicting statements of the communication team of Malacañang regarding assistance to quake victims.