Monster quakes keep coming

Magnitude 6.6 and 6.5 earthquakes rocked Tulunan, Cotabato on Tuesday and Thursday, respectively.

SOS sent out A resident calls for assistance inside a damaged condominium building in Davao City. AFP

Mindanao was rocked by four powerful earthquakes within the same number of days with two hitting the region one after the other yesterday.

A magnitude 5.5 quake hit Davao Occidental on the morning of All Saints’ Day, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) reported. The quake, which was of tectonic origin, struck 334 kilometers southeast of Sarangani at 10:33 a.m.

At around 2:07 p.m., another magnitude 5 earthquake jolted Cotabato with an epicenter in the town of Makilala, Phivolcs reported.

Intensity 5 was felt in Magsaysay, Davao del Sur, while Intensity 4 was recorded in Pikit, Cotabato and Bansalan, Davao del Sur.

Magnitude 6.6 and 6.5 earthquakes rocked Tulunan, Cotabato on Tuesday and Thursday, respectively.

The string of earth movements prompted President Rodrigo Duterte to order local government units (LGU) to thoroughly inspect buildings in their areas for damages prior to his departure to Bangkok, Thailand for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit.

The Summit became the major multilateral event before the end of the year after Chile canceled the holding of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum.

“Well, it is time for the LGU to inspect all buildings. Start now and do what you can do for your countrymen,” Mr. Duterte said during a press briefing following his visit to the mausoleum of his deceased parents.

The President advised those who are staying in buildings that “are not fit for human habitation” to thoroughly inspect the structures for cracks and other signs of damage, particularly infrastructures built using substandard materials.

“If there are so many cracks and the cracks are really big they would be an indication that the building is already really an old structure or a structure which was built not in accordance with law,” the President noted.

The Chief Executive said he is putting his trust on local government offices to keep their respective cities safe, particularly during the time he is out of the country.

Nobody can prevent an earthquake from occurring, he said, adding he does not want disasters to happen when he is not around.

The number of fatalities in the strong quakes that rocked Tulunan, North Cotabato and nearby provinces has climbed to 16, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said.

In its Friday morning update, the agency said there were two more fatalities who likely died as a result of the magnitude 6.5 earthquake that struck the locality on Thursday morning.

Swift responder Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go inspects Ecoland 4000, a condominium building in Davao City which sustained major damage from the 6.5-magnitude earthquake that hit on Thursday morning.

The latest victims were identified as Tessie Alcayde, 70, of Sitio Kapatagan, Barangay Luayon, Makilala, Cotabato and Lito Peles Mino, 59, a resident of Sitio Musak, Barangay Sinapulan, Columbio, Sultan Kudarat.

The agency said 20-year-old Romel Galicia of Barangay Luayon, Makilala, Cotabato died after being hit by a falling tree, while Precilla Verona, 70, a native of Sitio San Isidro, Barangay Malasila, also of Makilala, was hit by falling debris caused by Thursday’s earthquake.

The two were among the 14 fatalities confirmed by the NDRRMC in its 8 p.m. update Thursday.

The number of injured remained at 403 with two others are still missing. Meanwhile, damaged infrastructure was placed at 3,220 in Zamboanga Peninsula, Northern Mindanao, Davao Region and Soccsksargen and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.