COLLAPSE A section of the ceiling of Clark International Airport’s check-in lobby in Clark Freeport, Pampanga province, collapsed after a 6.1-magnitude earthquake shook Central Luzon on Monday afternoon. Clark International Airport Corp. suspended domestic and international flights for 24 hours. PHOTO FROM CHRISTINA TING’S FACEBOOK PAGE
MANILA, Philippines — The management of the Clark International Airport will be setting up temporary check-in areas for its passengers, after the lobby’s ceiling collapsed due to the Zambales earthquake.
According to Clark Airport CEO Jaime Melo on Tuesday, airlines can only use the lobby if they are able to remove the whole ceiling, or the arrival area which has been used yesterday.
“The whole check-in counter portion ay damaged po. But I think we can set-up a temporary check-in counters for the airlines, depende po kung ma-lift natin ‘yong ceiling, matanggal natin para sigurado pong safe,” Melo said in a press briefing.
“Baka po may mahulog from the ceiling. So we’ll have to do it very well, very safely, at sisiguraduhin po muna namin ang safety bago kami mag-operate,” he explained.
Regarding issues with the airport’s structural integrity, Melo said he cannot yet explain whether it was a fault in the engineering, saying that the earthquake was moderately strong.
“I cannot say what really went wrong, malakas po kasi talaga ‘yong lindol, it felt more than six, magnitude 6.0 po ‘yon pero it felt a little more than that,” he claimed.
The Clark airport was shut down due to extensive damage brought by the 6.1 magnitude earthquake, which struck Castillejos in Zambales on Monday afternoon.
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Six passengers and an airport employee were injured after the lobby’s ceiling collapsed.
READ: 7 hurt as ceiling collapses at Clark International Airport
Earlier, Melo said that they would try to resume operations partially within the day, and could fully reopen on Wednesday if authorities allow it. As of now, no significant damages have been reported on its air control tower, runway, and tarmac.
“Once we have decided kung ano ang ire-repair natin for partial operations, we will do so and we will announce partial operations within the day,” he said.
“The good news is the tower can be operated, wala pong substantial damage yung tower, the runway and the apron and the taxiways are all sound so wala pong problema sa horizontal or sa road surface ng airports. Sa vertical ‘yong tower is already declared safe,” he added. /jpv