MANILA, Philippines — The shallow and powerful earthquake that struck northern Luzon has affected nearly 13,000 people, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council reported Thursday.
In its 6 a.m. report, the NDRRMC said a total of 12,945 individuals or 3,456 families in the Cordillera Administrative Region have been affected by the 7.0-magnitude quake that hit Abra. There were 541 displaced families inside temporary shelters and 128 households outside evacuation centers.
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Fatalities remained four, while the number of injured people rose to 115.
The NDRRMC also reported that 868 damaged houses were reported in CAR. Eleven of those houses were totally damaged.
Nineteen roads, mostly in CAR, were still not passable.
The damage to infrastructure in Ilocos region, Central Luzon, and Metro Manila was pegged at P33.8 million.
The agency also said it has provided family food packs amounting to P214,000 and relief assistance worth 72,760 to those affected in CAR.
In a separate report, the Department of Education said that 35 schools in CAR, Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley and Central Luzon sustained infrastructure damage. The initial cost for the reconstruction and rehabilitation of damaged schools was estimated at P228.5 million.
The strong earthquake, caused by the movement of the Abra River Fault, triggered landslides, knocked out power, and damaged buildings including centuries old churches, bell towers and homes. Among those damaged by the quake were structures in Vigan City, a UNESCO World Heritage site in Ilocos Sur. — Gaea Katreena Cabico