Quake disrupts classes in Zamboanga City

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines — Up to 27 public schools in this city suspended classes yesterday as classrooms sustained damage from the magnitude 5.8 earthquake that shook Western Mindanao on Thursday.

Basilio Uy, chief of local governance for the Department of Education, said that affected schools shifted to distance learning mode.

Uy said they decided to cancel classes as they have no capability to determine the safety of affected buildings.

Meanwhile, a similar quake that hit areas in Southern Leyte on the same day generated 189 aftershocks yesterday.

State seismologists said the aftershocks ranged from magnitudes 1.4 to 2.9, including 64 that were identified as “plotted” – meaning their epicenters were located using data from three seismic stations.

The quake, which was tectonic in origin, occurred at 7:39 a.m. and its epicenter was located six kilometers east of San Fracisco town.