FATALITY Rescuers in Cataingan, Masbate, retrieve the body of retired Police Col. Gilbert Sauro from the debris of his house, one of the structures toppled by a 6.6-magnitude earthquake that struck the province on Tuesday morning. The quake, which was also felt in parts of the Visayas and Bicol region, left widespread damage on Masbate’s roads and residential areas. —JAYVEE VALLECER/CONTRIBUTOR
MANILA, Philippines — At least 280 earthquakes were recorded in Masbate following the magnitude 6.6 strong earthquake that struck the province on Tuesday, according to the Philippine Institute for Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs).
“Marami nang mga aftershocks tayong naitala. As of 4 a.m. ngayong umaga, mayroon tayong 280 na most likely aftershocks na nangyari doon sa lugar na iyon,” Phivolcs chief Renato Solidum said in an interview with ABS-CBN’s Teleradyo on Wednesday.
(We have recorded a lot of aftershocks. As of 4 a.m., we have recorded 280 aftershocks that are most likely aftershocks of the earlier earthquake in the area.)
“One hundred eight dito ang pwede natin ma-i-locate, ibig sabihin malaki-laki, na ang range ng magnitude ay between magnitude 1.6 to 4.4,” he also said.
(One hundred eight of this can be located, with a magnitude range of 1.6 to 4.4.)
At 5:50 a.m., a magnitude 5.2 moderate earthquake also jolted the province, the strongest aftershock so far of the earlier quake that was caused by the movement of the Masbate segment of the Philippine fault zone.
Solidum then advised residents in the area to evacuate houses and buildings that sustained cracks.
“Dapat i-evacuate muna ito at inspeksyunin ng mga engineers kung magagamit pa o hindi, kasi ‘yung malalakas na aftershock pwedeng ituloy ‘yung dagdag na kasiraan ng mga bahay at gusali at tuluyang bumagsak,” he said.
(People should evacuate these buildings and have it inspected by engineers if it can still be used or not, since strong aftershocks may further worsen the cracks and make the buildings collapse.)