MANILA, Philippines — The death toll from the strong earthquake that hit northern Luzon has risen to six, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council reported Friday.
Of the fatalities, five were confirmed and one was up for validation.
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NDRRMC also confirmed 116 injuries, with 20 still for validation. Four were reported missing.
The 7.0-magnitide earthquake has affected 19,486 families or 79,260 individuals from the Ilocos region and the Cordillera Administrative Region.
There were 5,819 people staying in evacuation centers and 1,516 individuals seeking shelter in the homes of their relatives or friends.
According to the NDRRMC, 1,583 damaged houses were reported in CAR and Ilocos region. Forty-eight of those houses were totally damaged.
Eleven roads, mostly in CAR, remained unpassable.
The number of damaged infrastructure in CAR, Ilocos region, Central Luzon, and CAR rose to 99. Cost of damage to infrastructure was pegged at P48.3 million.
The NDRRMC also said that assistance worth P396,360 was provided to CAR.
164 schools damaged
In a separate report, the Department of Education said that 164 schools sustained infrastructure damage. The initial cost for the reconstruction and rehabilitation of damaged schools was estimated at P940 million.
The shallow and powerful 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