CEBU, Philippines — An earthquake that hit mainly in Southern Leyte also caused some stir in Cebu City yesterday.
Although no suspension of classes was declared by the Cebu City government, personnel from concerned offices were deployed to conduct assessment on public school buildings.
The Cebu Normal University, for one, however, had declared suspension of classes yesterday, while students in other schools were made to go out of their classrooms and were advised to stay on safer ground.
Aside from public schools, the Office of the Building Official (OBO), led by Architect Florante Catalan, also conducted inspections on buildings across the city, following a 5.9 magnitude earthquake in San Francisco, Southern Leyte and intensity 3 in Cebu City, accordingly.
The inspection according to OBO is aimed at ensuring the structural integrity of the school buildings and other structures for everyone’s safety.
The Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CCDRRMO) personnel, along with the Local School Board’s enginners, are also doing their own assessment of public school buildings and are expected to submit their final report to OBO.
The CCDRMO led by retired fire marshal Aderson Comar said that the assessment on school buildings’ structural integrity and the identification of damage are important to ensure that school buildings are safe for students and teachers, prevent potential accidents or structural failures and be able to recommend immediate evacuation if necessary.
School heads, teachers and the public were also advised to “stay alert and report any visible damage to authorities.” Reports on their initial assessment is not yet available as of press time, but no one, especially students, were reported hurt during the earthquake.
“Safety remains our top priority, and precautionary measures will be taken as needed," he said.
For emergencies or inquiries, contact Cebu City Command Center Emergency Hotline at 166/262-1424, 0932 537 7770 or 0917 839 9896.
According to a data released by the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS), the quake’s epicenter was located at 10.01°N, 125.19°E, approximately six kilometers south-southeast of San Francisco, Southern Leyte.
In Cebu City, PHIVOLCS classified the tremor as Intensity III.
Under the Intensity III category, many people indoors, particularly on higher floors, felt the tremor. The vibration was comparable to the passing of a light truck, and some individuals experienced dizziness and nausea.
Moreover, PHIVOLCS also recorded the tremor in Bogo City under Intensity II, which signified that the quake was felt by few individuals at rest indoors, hanging objects swinging slightly and still water in containers vibrate noticeably
While no significant casualties or damages have been reported in Cebu, schools and offices briefly paused from their usual routine in order to conduct safety checks, checking if buildings had cracks or damage.
The shaking was more intense in Southern Leyte, where San Francisco experienced the strongest shaking at Intensity VI, reportedly causing damage in some structural and public roads in town.
Intensity V was also felt in the cities and municipalities of Southern Leyte including Anahawan, Hinunangan, Hinundayan, Libagon, Liloan, Padre Burgos, Pintuyan, San Juan, and San Ricardo.
Other affected areas included Leyte Province with Intensity IV in Baybay City and surrounding towns and Bontoc, Limasawa, City of Maasin, Macrohon, Malitbog, Saint Bernard, Silago, Sogod, and Tomas Oppus in Southern Leyte.
Intensity III was felt in Surigao City, while Misamis Oriental and Capiz with weaker intensities recorded, specifically in Cagayan de Oro and Roxas City. Jonnavie Villa/JG (CEBU NEWS)