Mindanao quake: More areas under state of calamity

COTABATO CITY – Four areas in North Cotabato are now under a state of calamity due to the damage caused by a powerful quake that hit parts of Mindanao last week.

A resolution declaring a state of calamity in Kidapawan City was approved on Tuesday.

Tulunan, Mlang and Makilala towns, also in North Cotabato, as well as Magsaysay, Davao del Sur had been placed earlier under a state of calamity.

The declaration will allow concerned local government units to tap emergency funds for relief and rehabilitation.

More than 3,000 infrastructure facilities were destroyed and damaged in the quake, National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) executive director and Office of Civil Defense administrator Ricardo Jalad said.

Jalad said 482 houses, 10 schoolbuildings, two health facilities, six other public buildings, four places of worships and two commercial establishments were destroyed.

At least 2,065 houses, 437 schoolbuildings, 36 health facilities, 76 other public buildings, 16 places of worship, 16 commercial establishments and 12 roads and bridges were damaged.

The NDRRMC said more than 5,000 families or 25,505 residents of 108 barangays in Davao and Soccsksargen were affected by the quake.

The magnitude 6.3 quake left seven persons dead. At least 215 others were injured and brought to hospitals for treatment.

Aftershocks

Meanwhile, aftershocks with magnitudes of 4.5 and 3.6 hit Tulunan, Cotabato and Kidapawan City at around 2:45 a.m. and 12:23 a.m., respectively, yesterday.

More than 600 aftershocks have been recorded since Oct. 16, according to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology.