MALAYBALAY CITY (MindaNews / 24 Sept) – A total of 439 families or 1,303 individuals were reported to be affected by the magnitude 5.4 earthquake that hit Bukidnon towns dawn on Sunday, with 58 of them reported to have houses “highly” damaged, according to the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office of LGU-Kalilangan, Bukidnon.
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology reported that the epicenter of the earthquake, which occurred at 4:47 a.m., was somewhere in Wao, Lanao del Sur. Last April 12, a magnitude 6.0 quake likewise hit Wao.
Sunday’s tremor left 10 persons injured, although the report signed by Maria Jessica Gumban, the MDRRMO designated coordinator, said they obtained “minor injuries”.
Bruce Augusto Colao, provincial director of the Department of Interior and Local Government in Bukidnon, provided MindaNews with a copy of the situational report as this reporter could not reach Gumban for comments.
A total of 12 classrooms in Lampanusan National High School and seven classrooms in Agaton Elementary School in Macaopao were reported to be severely damaged.
About 364 houses were damaged in five of the town’s 14 barangays, namely: Lampanusan, Public, Macaopao, Ninoy Aquino and West Poblacion. The MDRRMO reported a total of 58 houses were “totally damaged”, about 158 were considered “severely damaged” and 148 others were “partially damaged”.
Impact of the quake in Wao, Lanao del Sur due to Sunday’s early morning quake. Photos courtesy of the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction Office-Wao
Colao, who led a DILG team that conducted an on-site assessment Sunday afternoon, said the local government unit must submit the town for geological assessment.
“Affected residents may
have to be relocated,” he told MindaNews via telephone around 7 p.m. Sunday. He said they are yet to receive reports from other towns. The Provincial Public Affairs, Information and Assistance Office said municipal reports will come tonight.
The MDRRMO Kalilangan reported damages to government properties like barangay halls, school buildings, roads, a bridge and water facilities.
The administrative building of Barangay Public was reported to be “totally damaged” while the barangay hall, a multi-purpose building, and the barangay stage were considered “severely damaged”.
Reported “severely damaged” also were the barangay hall and health center of Barangay Macaopao. The health center and stage in Lampanusan as well as the multi-purpose drier in Macaopao were “partially damaged”, according to the report, using findings of initial assessment as of 4 p.m. Sunday.
Five other school buildings were reported to be slightly to partially damaged in barangays Public and Malinao. Day Care centers for pre-school learners in two villages in Macaopao were not spared, including public stages in three neighborhood areas in the same village.
The Methodist Church in Central Poblacion was reported to be severely damaged while the Catholic chapel in Macaopao was partially damaged.
Only one lane is passable on a bridge in Ulayan in Brgy. Malinao. There were minor cracks in the approach to the barangay road in Purok 5 and in the national road along Cogo, Macaopao, but the MDRRMO said the roads are passable.
Land slipped in three areas along the road in Manipis in Purok 8, Brgy. Public and along the barangay road in Purok 1 and 2 in the same village. Land slipped in the portion of the farm-to-market road in Agaton in Macaopao. The MDRRMO noted that except for the Agaton road, the roads are passable “for motorcycle only”.
The tremor affected the water source in four smaller villages, namely, Panamsamon, Kimagting, Janiuay and Kalagutay. They have to fetch water from Central Poblacion, which is around 10 minutes via motorcycle. (Contributed to MindaNews by Walter I. Balane)
