5 hurt, schools damaged as strong quake jolts Cagayan

Photo courtesy of Phivolcs

TUGUEGARAO CITY — At least five family members were injured after a magnitude 6.3 earthquake struck off Dalupiri Island in Calayan town, Cagayan, on Tuesday night.

In a report on Wednesday, the municipal disaster risk reduction and management office (MDRRMO) of Calayan said two children—identified as Baby Caty dela Cruz, 13, and her younger sister, Carmela, 12—suffered from “brain trauma and head concussions” while three other family members had minor injuries after a wall in their house in Barangay Centro 2 collapsed as the quake jolted the province at 7:03 p.m.

The Dela Cruz sisters were taken to the Calayan infirmary and had been declared in safe condition.

According to the MDRRMO, 27 families, or 90 people, had to flee their homes and stay in temporary shelters due to the damage to their houses.

Calayan Mayor Joseph Llopis ordered the suspension of classes at all levels in both public and private schools on Wednesday to allow officials to inspect buildings and other structures in the town.

Large cracks were reported in the buildings of the main campus of Calayan High School, Calayan West Central Elementary School, and Magsidel National High School.

According to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs), the quake’s epicenter was at 26 kilometers north of Dalupiri and at a depth of 10 km.

Phivolcs reported at least 104 aftershocks as of Wednesday afternoon.

In its earlier bulletin issued at 8 a.m. on Wednesday, Phivolcs noted that the aftershocks varied in magnitude—from 1.8 to 3.7—and occurred at depths ranging from 8 to 29 km.

—REPORTS FROM VILLAMOR VISAYA JR. AND ABBY BOISER

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