Magnitude 6 quake rocks Masbate

MANILA, Philippines — A 6.0-magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Masbate province yesterday morning, sending people out of their homes, prompting dozens of patients to be evacuated from a hospital and causing minor damage to a government coliseum and business establishments.

According to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs), the quake struck 11 kilometers west of the municipality of Batuan at 2:10 a.m.

When the quake struck, many people were roused from sleep, Masbate provincial disaster mitigation officer Adonis Dilao said.

“The first jolt was really strong followed by shaking that woke me up and my baby,” Red Cross officer MJ Oxemer said. “We could hear the rumbling of the ground.”

Dozens of patients from a Masbate provincial hospital were evacuated but later brought back after the quake caused some cracks in the three-story building.

A part of the ceiling on a small government coliseum in Masbate city was also damaged, Dilao said. Cracks were also spotted in the concrete pillars of some business establishments, including grocery and drug stores in Masbate city’s downtown area, and in some houses.

Although business owners have discretion when to reopen, Dilao said they should heed the advice of government safety inspectors because at least two strong aftershocks were felt following the quake.

“Unlike typhoons, which can be predicted to give people time to brace, earthquakes can just suddenly hit,” he said.

The quake knocked out power in many areas of Masbate and nearby Ticao island, and some school classes were suspended, the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) said, adding that damage assessments by local officials were underway.

Aftershocks

A total of 135 of aftershocks were recorded following the strong quake, with a magnitude range of 1.5 to 4.2, as of 1 p.m. yesterday, Phivolcs said.

About 49 of the aftershocks were plotted and 16 quakes were felt by residents.

Phivolcs said the quake was tectonic in origin and had a depth of focus of 10 kilometers. Damage was expected to follow the initial quake and aftershocks could continue for a few days to weeks.

Intensity VII was recorded in the City of Masbate and Intensity V in Dimasalang, San Fernando, and Uson, Masbate.

Intensity IV was also recorded in the City of Legazpi, Albay; Aroroy, Cataingan, Esperanza, Milagros and Pio V. Corpuz, Masbate; Irosin, and City of Sorsogon, and intensity III in Daraga, Albay.

Phivolcs said that the 4.5-magnitude earthquake on Wednesday was a foreshock to the stronger one yesterday.

Property damages

At least 63 houses were partially damaged, while 15 public schools and 10 public and private buildings suffered minor damage due to the 6.0 magnitude earthquake, the OCD reported.

OCD-Bicol spokesperson Gremi Alexis Naz said that of the 63 reported partially damaged houses, 51 were in Palanas town, seven in Batuan, four in Dimasalang and one in San Fernando.

Of the school buildings that suffered cracks in the concrete walls and pavements, eight were in Batuan and seven in Uson. Public buildings also suffered minor damage in Masbate City (5), and in Dimasalang, Cataingan and Batuan, with one each.

Classes from pre-school up to Grade 12 were suspended in Masbate province; while Masbate City local government had ordered suspension of classes in all levels, including college, Naz said.

More than 40 aftershocks, ranging from magnitude 1.5 to 4.2 were recorded by Phivolcs instruments until 3 p.m. yesterday.

No casualties

There were no reports of casualties or significant damage in Masbate as a result of the earthquake that struck the province yesterday, officials said.

Jung Bagalihog, Masbate provincial government public information office head, said they have not received any report from local officials of deaths or injuries among the population.

“We have zero casualty in the province of Masbate,” Bagalihog said over dzBB radio. “Areas that would pose a risk to motorists are temporarily not passable.”

Bicol police director Brig. Gen. Rudolph Dimas said there were no casualties related to the earthquake, though there was no electricity in Masbate City as of yesterday morning.

Electricity to about 70 percent of the province was restored before noon. As a precaution, the provincial government suspended work and classes.

Follow the Building Code

The National Building Code should be implemented strictly to mitigate the possible effects of earthquakes on structures in the capital region, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) said yesterday.

MMDA spokesperson Melissa Carunungan said Metro Manila and Turkey – which is still reeling from earthquakes that have claimed more than 40,000 lives – share a lot of similarities as they both have several buildings and high density populations.

She said the government prepares for the “Big One” by conducting seminars and lectures on disaster preparedness. The MMDA, Carunungan added, is ready to deploy its public safety personnel to urban search and rescue operations.

Carunungan noted that the National Building Code contains the requirements for the maintenance of buildings. She added that in 2018, the Metro Manila Council passed a resolution urging the Department of Public Works and Highways to continue maintaining and inspecting buildings in the capital region.

Carunungan said just like in Turkey, many buildings in Metro Manila are already old. More than half or 64 percent of the buildings were built before 1992, according to MMDA’s latest inventory.

As part of earthquake preparedness measures, a shake drill is conducted in Metro Manila every year. The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council is also holding earthquake drills quarterly. – Ralph Edwin Villanueva, Emmanuel Tupas, Alexis Romero