Rescuers still searching for survivors in collapsed condo in Davao City

Rescuers look at the damaged condominium building after a 6.5-magnitude earthquake hit Davao City in the southern island of Mindanao on October 31, 2019. Photo by Manman Dejeto / AFP

DAVAO CITY –– At least nine, including a Korean, were hurt after a mid-rise residential building in the city partially collapsed following a magnitude 6.5 earthquake on Thursday morning.

The ground floor of a five-story building of the Ecoland 4000 Residences caved in as a result of the strong tremor.

The search-and-rescue units of the local government of Davao, led by the Central 911 Unit, were immediately deployed to scour the property.

Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte immediately visited the site to check on the search-and-rescue teams and the progress of the operations.

Duterte said the response teams had inspected and declared clear the third, fourth and fifth floors.

“The responders are still checking the second floor but they cannot easily penetrate it as it may collapse and trap them inside. They are using the windows on the side of the building to check inside,” Duterte said.

Davao City Police spokesperson Police Captain Nolan Tagsip said the building has 56 residential spaces from the second to the fifth floor.

Police estimates said 15 occupants were inside the building when the tremor happened after the structure sustained damages following the magnitude 6.6 earthquake on October 29.

Of the nine injuries, one was brought to the hospital due to a wound on the head.

The initial list of identified victims includes Park Jung O, Catley Ubas, Naser Inog, Baswil Ledya, Christian Vicente, and Ledy Notarte.

“Based on our interview with the security guard, the occupants were able to flee from the property. However, I cannot confirm if there are people left inside,” Tagsip said./lzb