Quake damage, fatalities prompt state of calamity declaration in Davao Sur town

DAVAO CITY–The council of Magsaysay, Davao del Sur province has declared a state of calamity in the town amid damage brought by the 6.3 magnitude quake that shook Cotabato province and was felt elsewhere in Mindanao on Wednesday, Oct. 17.

The council passed a resolution declaring the state of calamity as officials started to assess the damage which the mayor, Arthur Davin, estimated to cost already P200 million.

Houses, school buildings and the municipal hall suffered minor to severe damage as a result of the quake.

More than 2,000 houses were destroyed, according to initial assessment reports.

Three persons were killed in the town. Two of the fatalities were a woman and her nine-month old son who were buried alive at the village of Malawanit when a landslide triggered by the quake unleashed tons of rocks and soil into their house. A two-year-old child was killed when debris fell on him as he slept at home at the village of San Isidro.

The town’s disaster council reported 43 people were injured and at least 225 families fleeing their homes./TSB