Dawn quake rocks Cebu

CEBU, Philippines - A magnitude 3.6 earthquake struck Cebu Province dawn yesterday with residents in at least 10 cities and towns feeling the tremor.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) traced the epicenter to the midwestern town of Asturias.

Residents thought initially there were two main quakes as a second one jolted the province just two minutes later, measuring magnitude 3.3 but PHIVOLCS explained the second one was actually an aftershock.

The main quake, which had a depth of one kilometer, occurred at 3:41 a.m. and the second one occurred at 3:43 a.m.

As of 6 p.m. yesterday, at least nine aftershocks were recorded across the province.

Robinson Jorgio, seismic observer at the PHIVOLCS Seismic Monitoring Station in Lapu-Lapu City, said the earthquake was tectonic in origin.

He said PHILVOCS is conducting fault mapping in Cebu but is yet to reach the Balamban-Asturias areas.

“Continious ang among fault mapping pero mao lage due to some interventions like the earthquake in Surigao and Lanao del Sue, maundang na man pud among fault mapping sa Cebu. We have no time frame kanu-sa namo ni mahuman,” said Jorgio.

Correction

Jorgio said they had to correct the first earthquake advisory.

“Gi-correct na na Earthquake Information No. 1. It was found out later that while nag-linog pa ang pirmirong linog, nag-linog na sad samtang ang pirmerong linog wala pa mahuman. So, ang nahitabo ana, nagsapaw ang duha ka linog mao to nga medyo kusog,” Jorgio explained.

The first advisory issued said the earthquake had a magnitude 4.8, had a depth of 25 kilometers, and was felt in the cities of Cebu, Mandaue, and Lapu-Lapu at intensity three.

Damage

Minor cracks were reported in some schools in Asturias town but information officer Christian Conejo said all schools there continued to hold classes after the municipal engineers determined that the cracks on school buildings are “negligible.”

Cracks were seen at school buildings in Uwak Elementary School, Asturias Central School, Looc Norte ES, and Looc Norte National High School.

“Pero minor cracks lang. Na-determine nga pwede klasehan,” Conejo said.

The engineers also inspected Langub ES, Tubigan Manok ES, Sta. Lucia ES, Sta. Lucia NHS, Bago ES, and Lunas ES.

Mark Supatan, the town’s disaster officer, also said, “The damages were not alarming. Minor damages ra gyod mura ra’g gikalitan sa ballpen. But among giganid og check ang mga barangays even sa coastal areas.”

Conejo said residents were alarmed and “panicked a little bit” because it was the first time in recent memory that a tremor hit Asturias.

In the neighboring Balamban, the municipal government suspended classes in all public and private schools to pave way for inspection, according to Edgardo Cabahug, local disaster risk reduction and management officer.

Later in the afternoon, Balamban Mayor Ace Binghay lifted the suspension after the town’s disaster and municipal engineering teams reported no immediate reports of casualties and damage.

“Wa raman pud nag-panic ang mga tawo kay kadlawon man gud,” Cabahug said.

Still, the town will strengthen its disaster preparedness further as agreed during yesterday’s local disaster and school board meeting.

He said they are planning to conduct more earthquake drills in schools and disaster trainings on preparedness and response for barangay and town officials.

The town has a P14 million disaster fund, P9.8 million of which is set aside for disaster preparedness while P4.2 million is intended for quick response. Mitchelle L. Palaubsanon, Kristine B. Quintas, John M. Destacamento (FREEMAN)