Surigao quake damage at M; strong aftershock jolts residents
SURIGAO CITY – The partially assessed and validated damage brought about by the strong 6.7 magnitude earthquake that struck Surigao City and Surigao del Norte on Feb. 10, 2017 has risen to more than 1429 million.
This, as the latest aftershock, measuring 4.9 magnitude struck the city at 4:03 a.m. yesterday. The new tremor was plotted only 11 kilometers (km) west of this city, with a shallow depth of only 11 km., the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) here said.
The initial and partial damage to infrastructures reported by the city government of Surigao reached more than 1211 million while the provincial roads and other infrastructures was reported to be more than 1115 million.
The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) also reported the initial and partial assessed and validated damaged national roads and bridges at more than 1103.450 million.
Engineers, technical men and workers of the DPWH, along with personnel of the city and provincial governments are currently undergoing ground works of some section along the Daang Maharlika Road (Surigao-Ipil-Lipata Section and Surigao-Agusan Section), Surigao Wharf Road Surigao-Davao Coastal Road, Magpayang-Mainit Wharf Road and Surigao-San Juan Coastal Road.
The damaged five national bridges that are undergoing rehabilitation and repairs are the Malico Bridge Daang Maharlika Road (Lipata-Surigao Section), Kinabutan I Bridge Daang Maharlika Road (Lipata-Surigao Section), Kinabutan II Bridge Daang Maharlika Road (Lipata-Surigao Section), Friendship Bridge Surigao-San Juan Coastal Road and Banahaw Bridge Surigao-San Juan Coastal Road.
A temporary timber bridge is also being installed to replace the Anao-aon Bridge in San Francisco town, Surigao del Norte by the personnel of the DPWH District Engineering Office and local government unit, after it collapsed during the powerful earthquake last Friday night.
DPWH personnel are conducting round-the-clock ground works including installations of warning signs and placement of filling materials on damaged bridge approaches.
Meanwhile, more engineers and technical men of the DPWH from various regions in Visayas and Mindanao already arrived here yesterday to help the local government units assess and validate whether the structures or buildings are “safe or unsafe” for occupancy.
Officers and technical men of the Philippine Institute of Civil Engineers and Association of Structural Engineers of the Philippines also arrived to help assess and validate the damaged infrastructure here.
DPWH Assistant Secretary Dimas S. Soguilon and DPWH 13 Regional Director Engr. Danilo E. Versola are currently closely supervising the ongoing rehabilitation and repair of damaged infrastructure as well as the actual assessment and validation.
“As of this time, all national roads in Caraga region, particularly in Surigao City and Surigao del Norte are already passable,” Director Versola said.
The Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao through its Humanitarian and Emergency Action Response Team (ARMM-HEART) has sent relief assistance to earthquake victims in Surigao City.
ARMM Executive Secretary Laisa Alamia said the relief assistance includes 200 sacks of rice, 50 boxes of instant coffee, 100 boxes of sardines, and 100 gallons of five-liter mineral and distilled water. (With reports from Nonoy E. Lacson and Aytch dela Cruz)