(Photo courtesy Presidential Communications office)
(Eagle News) – More than 20 aftershocks were reported by the Philippines Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) in Surigao del Norte after the 6.7 magnitude quake that shook Surigao City Friday night at exactly 10:03 p.m.
On Sunday morning, five aftershocks were recorded in Surigao del Norte, all occurring near Surigao City, the strongest of which was 4.1 magnitude which occurred at 11:01 a.m.
Surigao City was declared under a state of calamity on Saturday due to the “untold damages in the city to real and personal properties” in the city.
-No water in Surigao City–
As of Sunday, February 12, power had been restored in the city, but the water system is still damaged.
There were six confirmed deaths so far, although the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) earlier said that the death toll has reached 15.
The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council so far identified four fatalities. They are Robert Eludo Jr., 40 years old; JM Ariar, 4 years old; Lito Wilson, 36 years old; and Lorenzo Dequino, 86 years old. All of the identified fatalities were from Surigao City.
The NDRRMC said that there were 202 persons treated for various injuries after the quake.
-More than 1,000 houses damaged-
At least 1,034 houses were reported damaged because of the quake in Surigao del Norte province, with 155 houses reported to be totally damaged.
A total of 12 school faciltiies in Surigao del Norte were reported to have been damaged, while several damaged insfrastructure were reported in Surigao del Norte and Dinagat.
Surigao City disaster officials said there would be no classes on Monday, February 13, as they would still assess the damage left by the quake in the school
Five provincial roads and six bridges were also damaged.
The Surigao City airport is still closed up to now because of the damaged runway, while vessels and port operations in Lipata Port Station have been transferred to Surigao City Port.
There is total blackout in five towns in Surigao del Norte, namely the municipalities of San Francisco, Malimono, Placer, Sison and Taganaan.
Electricity was restored in Surigao City on Saturday night, at 8:30 p.m.
But water systems are still damaged in the city, as well as in three other towns – San Francisco, Malimono and Mainit.
