Aftershocks from Davao quake to last days, weeks: Phivolcs

THE Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) has recorded 113 aftershocks from last Friday’s magnitude 6.8 earthquake in Davao Occidental that left nine people dead.

In a briefing, Phivolcs director Teresito Bacolcol said aftershocks may continue in the next days or weeks.

“They (aftershocks) ranged from magnitude 1.4 to 4.9. Basically the strongest aftershock that we recorded was (magnitude) 4.9,” said Bacolcol, citing information as of noon yesterday.

“And aftershocks will last for several days to several weeks but as time passes, they become weaker and their number decreases,” he also said.

The magnitude 4.9 aftershock occurred yesterday at 3:28 a.m. in Sarangani province, with the epicenter located some 28 km southwest of Glan town, Phivolcs said.

Bacolcol said the Davao earthquake is not connected to last Monday’s magnitude 5.2 quake (downgraded from magnitude 5.6) that occurred in Calbiga, Samar.

Bacolcol said the earthquake in Davao Occidental was caused by the movement of the Cotabato trench. He said the strongest earthquake caused by the Cotabato trench was a magnitude 8.1 quake in 1976, leaving some 8,000 people dead.

The death toll from last Friday’s earthquake remained at nine as of yesterday, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said.

The number of injured is now 16, up by one from the previous day.

The number of affected population from 51 barangays in Davao and Soccsksargen regions rose to 3,696 families or 16,293 individuals, up from last Monday’s 2,489 families or 12,885 individuals.

Thirteen roads, five bridges, 202 infrastructures, and 1,544 houses were damaged in the two regions. Three of the damaged roads are still not passable.

Cost of damage to the agriculture sector has reached P2.08 million, according to the Department of Agriculture’s report as of 5 p.m. on Monday.

The DA said there are still no other reported damage and losses in other agricultural commodities and infrastructures “that could hinder the food supply system.”

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) said it has distributed P12.5 million worth of cash, food, and non-food relief items. This includes P2,000