By Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza, Reporter
A MAGNITUDE 6.4 earthquake jolted the northern Philippine province of Abra on Tuesday night, injuring people and forcing an international airport in a nearby province to cancel operations on Wednesday.
This came three months after a stronger magnitude 7 quake rocked Abra, which killed 11 people and injured hundreds.
The latest earthquake’s epicenter was in the town of Lagayan and it struck at 10:59 pm on Tuesday, according to state seismologists.
Its tremors were also felt in the capital Manila and nearby cities.
Initial estimates show the quake had affected 254 families or 1,215 people from 13 villages in Ilocos, Cordillera, and Cagayan Valley regions, the Interior and Local Government department said in a statement on Tuesday afternoon.
It said five people were injured in Lagayan town in Abra, three in San Juan town, and one each in Daguioman and San Quintin towns. As of posting, no death had been reported.
The quake damaged at least 121 houses in the three regions, seven of which were totally destroyed while 114 were partially damaged, the agency said, adding that road operations have also been affected.
The international airport in Laoag City, Ilocos Norte’s capital, suspended its Wednesday operations after the quake. This resulted in the cancelation of at least two domestic flights.
Six public infrastructure were damaged in Cordillera and Ilocos regions, Office of the Civil Defense Assistant Secretary Bernardo “Ruffy” Alejandro IV told an afternoon briefing, citing reports.
Classes were suspended in 30 local government units (LGUs). Work was also suspended in 28 LGUs, mostly from Ilocos Sur, Ilocos Norte, Abra, and some areas in the Mountain Province, he added.
A number of aftershocks followed the earthquake, forcing people to evacuate and seek refuge in temporary shelters.
In a situation report on Wednesday afternoon, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said 436 aftershocks have been recorded so far.
President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. told reporters Wednesday morning that the government has been prioritizing the provision of temporary shelters for affected people.
He claimed that there was no “critical problem” in terms of food for affected people. “Maybe shelter — that is the most important part of the relief that we have to provide now.”
“Many are asking for tents because they are afraid to go back to their homes due to aftershocks,” he added.
Education and health facilities also sustained damage after the quake.
Photos posted on Facebook by the Bureau of Fire Protection in Batac, Ilocos Norte showed severe damage incurred by the Mariano Marcos Memorial Hospital and Medical Center, where patients had to be evacuated.
Pulot National High School in Lagayan, Abra was also severely damaged, based on photos posted by the Department of Interior and Local Government on its FB page. The Philippines is set to implement more full face-to-face classes next month.
A century-old Catholic church in La Paz, Abra bore cracks and parts of it collapsed, including the bell tower.