Villagers leave homes as quake cuts fissures on the ground

KIDAPAWAN CITY—Over a thousand residents in four villages at the foot of Mt Apo here are now in evacuation centers after the magnitude 6.6 quake last Tuesday cut fissures on the ground near their homes.

The quake also left rocks as big as houses that could turn into giant projectiles.

Psalmer Bernalte, Kidapawan City disaster management officer, said four areas had been stricken by landslides at the village of Ilomavis.

But Bernalte said the road leading to tourist sites in an area called Sitio Agco was still passable although littered with debris and rocks.

Displaced residents are staying in covered basketball courts at three villages.

Many businesses remained closed, adding to the somber mood in the city.

Some stores were ordered closed for safety reasons while others were forced to close for the day because workers were unable to report for duty.

In the town of Tulunan, a landslide blocked access to the road connecting the town to other areas. The mayor, Reuel Limbungan, had already ordered the road cleared.

At the village of Taculen, Matalam town, power has not been restored as some electric posts remained fallen on the ground.

Four persons were still missing at the village of Bato, Makilala town 24 hours after the quake last Tuesday. They were all residents of the village—Renante Nudalo, Grace Nudalo, Freddie Bago and Jonathan Lamar.

Sheryl Orbita, Makilala municipal administrator, said the four were last seen working on their farms which had been identified as a landslide-prone area.

Relatives of the four posted pleas for help in finding their loved ones on Facebook. Orbita said roads leading to the village of Bato is still blocked by rocks and debris from landslides./TSB