Scenes following a landslide along Halsema Highway in Mountain Province after a magnitude 7.0 earthquake hit Langilang town in Abra on Wednesday, July 27, 2022.| PHOTO: Mountain Province DRRM Office
MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said residents of areas hit by the strong magnitude 7.0 earthquake on Wednesday morning must not be allowed to go back to their homes just yet.
He said the government will provide them shelter and food for now or until after authorities declare the soundness of their houses for their own safety.
The government, however, is yet to conduct inspections of buildings and residential structures as aftershocks are still anticipated to occur following the powerful tremor that struck Abra province and was felt in many parts of Luzon, including Metro Manila.
“Sa lindol, ang immediate concern is shelter kasi nga kahit na titignan mo ‘yung bahay, mukhang matibay, hindi mo malalaman hanggang na-inspeksyon nang mabuti ‘yun,” Marcos Jr. said in a press briefing.
(In earthquakes, the immediate concern is shelter because even though you think a house or a structure is strong, you cannot be sure until it’s inspected.)
“So we can’t allow people to return to their homes yet because it’s dangerous,” he added.
Citing Director Renato Solidum, of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs), Marcos Jr. said “significant aftershocks” can be expected within two to three days. Thus, he appealed to affected residents to wait for officials and experts to inspect their houses first to determine if it was already safe for them to go back.
“Kailangan muna natin hintayin na medyo matapos na ‘yung mga aftershocks. Usec. Solidum tells me that there will be two to three days of significant aftershocks after which magte-taper off so hintayin na natin ‘yung ilang araw,” Marcos Jr. said.
(We need to wait for the aftershocks. Usec. Solidum tells me there will be two to three days of significant aftershocks, after which it will taper off, so we need to wait a few days.)
A magnitude 7.0 quake jolted northeast of Langilang town in Abra province at 8:43 a.m. on Wednesday, the Phivolcs said.
Several structures and bridges reportedly collapsed in Lagangilang due to the temblor.