16 dead, 15 missing in Pampanga, Zambales after 6.1 quake – DOH

Rescuers pull out a male survivor out of the rubble of Chuzon supermarket. (Photo by GRIG C. MONTEGRANDE / Philippine Daily Inquirer)

Updated @ 11:58 p.m., April 23, 2019, to add more quotes

SAN FERNANDO CITY, Pampanga – At least 16 dead and 112 were injured in Pampanga and Zambales provinces after a magnitude 6.1 quake hit parts of Luzon late Monday afternoon.

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III confirmed this to reporters here ahead of the situation briefing with President Rodrigo Duterte.

WATCH: Search and rescue operations at Chozun Supermarket in Porac, Pampanga after the magnitude 6.1 quake. Video from AFP @inquirerdotnet pic.twitter.com/ko5UljCS2J

— Nestor A. Corrales (@NCorralesINQ) April 23, 2019

Duque said 15 were killed in Pampanga and one in Zambales. He said 14 were missing inside the collapsed Chuzon Supermarket in Porac, Pampanga while one was reported missing in Zambales.

During the situation briefing at the provincial capitol with President Rodrigo Duterte, Duque said the injured individuals were “being managed adequately.”

“No problems in terms of medication and operations for the various seriously injured. It’s a range of injuries, Mr. President, from minor to major others needing amputation kasi nga po nadurog ang mga buto, ang mga laman nabagsakan po at karamihan po dito ay mula doon sa Chuzon collapsed building,” he said.

He assured the President that “we are doing everything to make sure that the medical assistance is adequate if not more than adequate.”

The health chief said the Department of Health (DOH) and the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) would shoulder the medical and hospitalization expenses of the victims.

The President said he was “quite satisfied” with the response of the DOH.

/muf /atm