Davao Sur City gets no breather from quakes, cries for help

DIGOS CITY—-The local legislature in this capital of Davao del Sur has declared a state of calamity in the city following massive damage wrought by Tuesday’s 6.6-magnitude quake.

Vice Mayor Johari Bana, who presides over the city council, called for a special session on Wednesday, Oct. 30, to bring to the legislative body the recommendation of the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council to declare a state of calamity in the city.

Prior to Tuesday’s 6.6-magnitude quake, the city was also hit by a 6.3-magnitude tremor on Oct. 16.

Mayor Josef Cagas said the people of Digos needed immediate help after being struck by disaster twice in a row.

Gil Gubat, city disaster action officer, said initial estimates placed damage to structures at P259 million.

“This is just a portion of the real damage,” he said. He added that city officials were still in the process of evaluating the extent of damage on high rises. Inspection teams could not yet do their work because of the series of aftershocks that continue to rock the city.

Nikkolo Marco Cortes, city information officer, said scores of houses had been destroyed in different villages.

Gubat said structures that suffered damage during the Oct. 16 quake were further damaged by the 6.6 tremor last Tuesday.

Malls and department stores that reopened after repairs following the Oct. 16 quake had been ordered closed again, driving hundreds of workers out of work.

A building of the Cor Jesu College, a school, had been deemed unsafe already and may be demolished.

A building under construction was on the verge of collapsing after its beams and columns gave way during Tuesday’s quake.

In Magsaysay, Davao del Sur at least 867 families had been evacuated.

Anthony Allada, Magsaysay information officer, said three persons remained missing and believed buried in a landslide during Tuesday’s quake. Search and rescue operations are ongoing./TSB