DAVAO ORIENTAL – The Provincial Government through its Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Councils continues their damage assessment today following Saturday afternoon’s 6.4 earthquake that shook Davao Oriental.
There were no injuries or fatalities reported as of the latest. However minor damages to some structures have been reported, said Assistant PDRRM Officer Francis Jason Bendulo.
In the municipality of Manay which was the earthquake’s epicenter, minor damages have been reported. The MDRRMC reported minor cracks at the Manay District Hospital. Residents along the coastlines are taking necessary precautions although there was no advisory for a tsunami threat.
The MDRRMC in coordination with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and its DRRM team continues their damage assessment today.
Other Municipal DRRMO have also submitted their respective damage reports.
In Barangay Central in Tarragona town, the MDRRMO reported damages that include one partially damaged house in NASA 2 and damages on the national road along Purok Buhangin. There were also noted structural damages on the Regional Evacuation Center. Some parts of a parish church have also been damaged.
In Barangay Jovellar, Tarragona, a landslide took place at Purok Cambitan but the road is still passable. In Tomoaong, one lane of road was damaged due to fallen boulders while 10 houses were reported as partially damaged in Kamuning area. Several houses were also damaged in Barangay Maganda and roads partially damaged due to tension cracks and moderate landslide. There was also a landslide at Tagubon area in Barangay Lucatan.
This morning, DPWH together with the Local Government Unit of Tarragona have conducted clearing operations along the national roads for fallen rocks and boulders.
Meanwhile, in the City of Mati, patients and hospital staff who were evacuated yesterday at the Davao Oriental Provincial Medical Center have now returned inside the hospital facility after the engineering and the disaster teams have declared it safe for them to go back. The hospital management said they made sure that all electrical wirings were checked first before allowing patients and staff to return. Some cracks, however were noted on the walls of the hospital.
Moreover, one house was reported totally damage and four partially damage in an Islamic area in Magsaysay, City of Mati.
Although there were no damage reported in the municipalities of Banaybanay , Lupon, San Isidro, Governor Generoso, Boston, Cateel, Baganga, and Caraga, damage assessment continues in these areas.
Governor Nelson Dayanghirang called on to all residents of the province to continue to stay calm, vigilant and take the necessary precautions against all hazards. He thanked all DRRM, rescue volunteers, and partners from the Armed Forces of the Philippines, Philippine National Police, Philippine Army Reserve Forces, the Red Cross, and other partners for actively mobilizing their teams to assist residents.
Based on bulletin posted by the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, Saturday’s 6.4 magnitude quake which occurred at 3:16 in the afternoon was tectonic in origin with a depth of 28 kilometers.
