MANILA, Philippines — The administration of Clark International Airport on Tuesday said the gateway will likely reopen on Wednesday after a powerful earthquake struck Luzon on Monday and caused damage to the airport.
“Baka by early morning tomorrow,” Clark airport CEO Jaime Melo said in a media interview when asked when the airport will operate again, adding that authorities were trying to partially reopen the gateway on Tuesday.
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The quake — which was tectonic in origin — hit Castillejos, Zambales at around 5:11 p.m. Monday. The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology earlier recorded a magnitude 5.7 quake before revising it to magnitude 6.1. Authorities on Tuesday said a total of 16 dead, 81 injured, and 14 missing have been reported in Region III.
A total of 447 aftershocks were recorded as of 10 a.m. Tuesday following the tremor that hit Luzon and swayed buildings in Metro Manila.
The powerful quake prompted officials to shut down the Clark airport and cancel over a hundred flights as they assess the damage on facilities.
According to Melo, the airport’s check-in counters sustained “big damage.” Cracks were also seen on the second floor of the gateway.
"Sisiguraduhin muna namin safety bago kami mag-operate (We need to ensure everyone's safety first before we operate again)," he said. — Ian Nicolas Cigaral