COTABATO CITY, Philippines — It's business as usual in central Mindanao’s trading hubs after a strong tremor jolted its provinces and cities Wednesday night.
Classes in schools in the region have been suspended since Thursday morning to enable engineers to inspect damages to classrooms.
The office here of the Philippine Volcanology and Seismology said it has recorded 144 aftershocks from between Wednesday night until past 7:00 a.m. Thursday.
Two children, one in Tulunan town in North Cotabato, and another in Datu Paglas, Maguindanao were reportedly killed when heavy objects fell on them as the ground shook for more than 10 seconds.
Regional Phivolcs personnel told reporters Thursday the epicenter of the Magnitude 6.3 earthquake was in Tulunan town.
The Bureau of Fire Protection-12 said probers are yet to determine if the big fire that hit the Gaisano Mall in General Santos City about two hours later was related to the earthquake.
The fire was so intense that firemen from as far as Digos City in Davao del Sur and from Koronadal City, capital of South Cotabato were called in to help douse it off.
Nine houses were also razed in another fire incident in a residential area in Cotabato City before dawn Thursday.
Patients in the Kidapawan Doctors Hospital in Kidapawan City, capital of North Cotabato province, were immediately relocated to safer areas after the earthquake.
Municipal emergency responders and the local police force declared off limits since Wednesday night the Sangguniang Bayan building in Mlang, North Cotabato due to structural damages.
Mlang is less than 10 kilometers away from Tulunan.
Brig. Gen. Marni Marcos, director of the Police Regional Office-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, said units under him are now helping assess the situation of communities in Lanao del Sur and Maguindanao provinces where the earthquake was also felt.
“Our men on the ground have also been directed to help in relief operations any local government unit may possible undertake,” Marcos said on Thursday morning.
The magnitude 6.3 tremor that hit Kidapawan City sent thousands of residents running for their lives.
Local executives in North Cotabato and Maguindanao have ordered the suspension of classes in all schools in the two provinces on Thursday until further notice.
The city governments in Kidapawan, Tacurong, Koronadal, Kidapawan and General Santos confirmed on Thursday morning that business establishments opened as usual and that operation of public conveyances continued without disruption.