Kidapawan hotel collapses after magnitude 6.5 quake

MANILA, Philippines (Update 2; 1:04 p.m.) — The building that once housed Eva's Hotel in Kidapawan City collapsed Thursday following the magnitude 6.5 earthquake that caused Intensity VII or "destructive" shaking in the city.

This comes after a separate magnitude 6.6 quake shook Mindanao on Tuesday, October 29, which left at least five dead and thousands displaced in its wake.

A structural engineer had already certified the building as "structurally safe" in the aftermath of the magnitude 6.3 quake last October 16. But reassessment has not been done after the quake last Tuesday.

"It was a result of October 16 earthquake, hindi pa nare-assess nung [damage ng] October 29 [quake] kasi the other day lang yun," Kidapawan City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office chief Psalmer Bernalte said on radio DZMM Thursday.

"Talagang gumuho ito, fully nag-collapse 'yung building and ito takbo nang takbo 'yung ating mga ambulance dahil apparently meron talagang mga malubhang na-injured," he said.

"Ang ginawa ng city government kasi it’s a business establishment, 'yung may portions lang na nasira 'yun lang ang ni-restrict ng aming command post."

According to the Kidapawan City Information Office, Mayor Joseph Evangelista already ordered a possible rescue. But the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said no persons were trapped in the hotel debris.

A few people, however, were trapped in the clinic behind the hotel. They have all been evacuated to safe areas.

Thursday's earthquake, which occurred at 9:11 in the morning, was the third to shake the Mindanao region in October. Damage and further aftershocks are expected, state volcanologists said.