Tornado damages houses, church in Pampanga town

CAMP OLIVAS, Pampanga, Philippines — Thirty-two structures were damaged and a person was injured when a tornado hit two barangays in Bacolor, Pampanga on Thursday night.

Reports reaching Brig. Gen. Jose Hidalgo Jr., Central Luzon police director, said 26 houses were among those damaged by the tornado, which struck at around 6 p.m. in Barangay Macabacle and Sitio Banlic, Zone-3 in Barangay Cabalantian.

Also damaged were the roofs of a gasoline station, a vulcanizing shop and several stores.

The Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office said the ceiling and stained glass windows of the St. Joseph parish in Barangay Cabalantian broke.

Antonio Bayona was injured and taken to the Kabali Hospital in San Fernando City for treatment.

A power outage was also reported as the tornado downed power lines and felled trees along the Jasa and San Fernando-Lubao Roads. — Ric Sapnu