MANILA, Philippines — Minor injuries and damaged houses were reported after a magnitude 6 earthquake struck Mindanao on Wednesday evening, according to the country’s disaster agency.
The Office of the Civil Defense spokesperson Rafaelito Alejandro on Thursday said the agency’s regional offices and local disaster risk reduction and management offices are currently conducting assessment and monitoring after a quake hit New Bataan town in Davao de Oro.
“Only minor damage were reported as of reporting time, the majority were residential houses,” the OCD said, adding that several minor injuries were logged.
Meanwhile, lifelines such as supply of power, water and communication remain uninterrupted.
The Philippines is regularly rocked by quakes due to its location on the Pacific "Ring of Fire", an arc of intense seismic activity that stretches from Japan through Southeast Asia and across the Pacific basin.
“As a country prone to frequent earthquakes, we would like to remind the public of the importance of ‘duck, cover and hold’ protocol during earthquakes in order to minimize the effects and number of casualties,” Alejandro said.
The disaster official also pointed out the importance of proper compliance to the National Building Code to prevent further damage and casualties. — Gaea Katreena Cabico