16 hurt in Davao de Oro quake Phivolcs records 769 aftershocks  

MANILA, Philippines — Sixteen people were injured when a magnitude 6.0 earthquake hit Compostela, Davao de Oro on Wednesday, the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) reported yesterday.

In a bulletin issued yesterday, the OCD  said 97 other people were affected by the quake.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said 769 aftershocks with magnitudes ranging from 1.3 to 3.6 were recorded as of 3 p.m. yesterday.

The strongest was felt at Intensity 6, which is classified as very strong.

Phivolcs said nine quakes with magnitudes of 6.0 to 8.3 have struck Davao de Oro since 1891.

The agency said Eastern Mindanao is one of the seismically active regions in the country due to the presence of several active faults in the East Compostela Valley, West Compostela Valley, Central Compostela Valley, Nabunturan, Caraga River and Mati segments of the Philippine Fault.

The OCD said 52 infrastructure facilities and four houses were damaged. There was no reported damage to roads and bridges.

Two landslides were reported in Davao de Oro.

The OCD said search and rescue teams remain on standby to respond to any emergency.

The agency said its regional office and local disaster response units are conducting continuous assessment, coordination and monitoring in affected areas.

14 schools damaged

Fourteen schools sustained damage, according to the Department of Education (DepEd).

The Montevista National High School and Banlag Elementary School in Davao de Oro, Toril Elementary School in Samal and Sonlon National High School and Alejal Elementary School in Carmen district in Davao del Norte were among those damaged.

DepEd spokesman Michael Poa said P7 million would be needed to rehabilitate the schools.

He said students in schools damaged by the temblor would take part in an alternative or distance learning mode to ensure that their education will not be disrupted,.

Poa said DepEd would provide temporary learning spaces for schools with major infrastructure damage.

In Davao de Oro, the management of the provincial hospital announced on Thursday that it would limit patient admission due to the damage the hospital sustained due to the quake.

Davao de Oro Provincial Hospital chief Ferdinand Anthony Soberano said several of their equipment were affected.

Soberano appealed to the public for understanding, saying repair of the damage left by the temblor is underway. –  Diana Suelto, Romina Cabrera, Janvic Mateo