The Philippine Coast Guard’s District Southeastern Mindanao immediately activated its Deployable Response Group teams Friday after a powerful earthquake, initially reported as a magnitude 7.6, struck off the coast of Manay, Davao Oriental, according to officials.
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) initially reported the quake as a magnitude 7.6 before downgrading it to 7.5 and later to magnitude 7.4. The earthquake, which also was felt across parts of the Visayas region, including Cebu, prompted Phivolcs to issue a tsunami warning for several coastal areas in Mindanao and Eastern Visayas, cautioning residents to evacuate to higher ground.
Coast Guard Commodore Philipps Y. Soria directed all stations and sub-stations, particularly those in Davao Oriental, to coordinate with their respective Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Councils and check the readiness of their DRG units for possible deployment.
“The activation aims to ensure a swift and coordinated response in conducting damage assessment, search and rescue operations, and assistance to affected communities should the need arise,” Soria said.
All Coast Guard personnel and assets in the area have been placed on “heightened alert status” to ensure immediate action and support to local government units, he added. The CGDSEM is monitoring the situation closely in coordination with Phivolcs and the Regional DRRMC.
In the Davao region, the local government of Davao City deployed emergency response teams for rapid assessments and to assist affected residents. As of noon Friday, no casualties had been reported in the city.
The City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office is closely monitoring coastal areas and coordinating with government agencies in preparation for possible aftershocks, while City Social Welfare and Development Office teams are on standby for relief operations.
Meanwhile, mayors in Metro Cebu suspended classes and work after an intensity IV earthquake — the second quake in the region following the magnitude 7.4 temblor — struck Friday.
The local government ordered the suspension of work at City Hall and its extension offices while Mandaue City Mayor Thadeo Ouano ordered the suspension of all face-to-face classes at all levels, both public and private.
Meantime, Talisay City Mayor Gerard Anthony Gullas also suspended classes.
