(Eagle News) – The number of deaths due to the two successive quakes in Itbayat, Batanes are still pegged at eight while more than 60 are reported injured, according to the latest data from the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC)
Many of the survivors are still afraid to sleep inside their homes as aftershocks continue to affect the area.
As of the latest data from the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS), the number of tremors, including aftershocks generated in the area, have reached more than 230, since the main event on Saturday, July 27.
The first tremor on Saturday was recorded at magnitude 5.4 at 4:16 a.m. Saturday, followed by the stronger quake recorded at magnitude 5.9 at 7:37 a.m.
Another strong quake shook Itbayat at 9:24 a.m. recorded at magnitude 5.8. This was followed by aftershocks the strongest of which was recorded at magnitude 5.3 magnitude at 6:11 p.m.
Aftershocks continued to shake Itbayat, the latest recorded at magnitude 3.6 at 7:40 p.m. today, Monday, July 29, 2019.
It was a very shallow quake with a depth of only one kilometer. It was felt at intensity 5 in Itbayat, Batanes.
Phivolcs science research assistant JR Guzman said that monitoring of the tremors would continue for weeks or even months.
In an interview with Eagle News Service, he said there had been 42 plotted quakes since Saturday, July 27, and that 12 of these were “felt”.
As of 4 p.m, there are 231 tremors recorded since Saturday. The number would continue to rise as more tremors are felt in Itbayat, he said.
The eight casualties who have been identified so far are the following: Eva Valiente, 19 years old; Fiona Valiente, 10 months old; Mary Ros Valiente, 13 years old; Genward Mina, 31 years old; Teresita Gulaga, 76 years old; Fausta Caan, 70+ years old; Haisley Naquita, 5 days old; and Tito Asa, 80 years old.
The NDRRMC’s update released this 6 p.m. said that one person remains missing.
There were 911 families or 2,963 persons in five barangays who were reportedly affected by the series of quakes. Damage to properties and infrastructure was reported at P47 million, the NDRRMC update said.
(Eagle News Service)
