Hotel nearly collapses in Kidapawan City due to magnitude 6.5 quake

Eva’s Hotel stands damaged after a strong earthquake in Kidapawan, Cotabato province on Thursday. (AP)

MANILA, Philippines — A hotel in Kidapawan City nearly collapsed following the magnitude 6.5 earthquake that hit Tulunan, Cotabato and other parts of Mindanao on Thursday, two days after another powerful magnitude 6.8 earthquake rocked parts of the southern Philippines.

READ: Powerful earthquake hammers Cotabato, parts of Mindanao anew

The Eva’s Hotel partially collapsed due to the powerful earthquake at about 9:11 a.m., according to Psalmer Benalte of the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO) in an interview with DZMM.

“Apparently, meron talagang mga malubhang na-injure at sana naman hindi tayo aabot sa punto na marami din ang natabunan ng debris (there are some who were badly injured, and I hope that debris did not fall on many victims),” he said.

The latest tremblor is the third strong earthquake that hit Mindanao this month since the magnitude 6.3 and 6.6 earthquakes on Oct. 13 and Oct. 29, respectively.

Benalte said the five-storey building might have collapsed since it could have been severely damaged last Tuesday. /je