Agri, infra losses from Surigao del Sur quakes climb to P167M

FILE PHOTO: Residents of Hinatuan town in Surigao del Sur spend the night in public spaces, like school grounds and their village chapel, following the magnitude 7.4 earthquake on Saturday, December 2, 2023, for
fear that their houses will give way from aftershocks while they are asleep. — ERWIN M. MASCARIÑAS

MANILA, Philippines — Agriculture and infrastructure losses from the two earthquakes that recently struck Surigao del Sur province have increased to P167 million, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said Friday.

The latest NDRRMC report indicated that in agriculture, the cost of the temblors’ damage now reached  P29,6 million; in infrastructure, nearly PP137.5 million as of December 8.

The report showed that 408 government facilities, 133 school buildings, and seven health facilities were destroyed by the quake.

READ: Phivolcs reports over 3,300 aftershocks from 7.4 quake in Surigao del Sur

It added that the tremor likewise damaged 5,294 houses, of which 4,888 were partially destroyed.

The magnitude 7.4 and 6.8 earthquakes, which happened on December 2 and December 4 off Hinatuan and Cagwait municipalities, respectively, also damaged 11 agricultural facilities, pieces of machinery, and equipment, affecting the livelihood of 515 farmers.

READ: Phivolcs: 1,250 aftershocks after 6.8 magnitude earquake in Cagwait, Surigao del Sur

The NDRRMC report further said that as of December 8, the quakes affected  643,220 individuals or 162,946 families. The sum included 7,630 displaced individuals from Region 11 (Davao Region), of which 7,487 remained inside evacuation centers while 143 stayed elsewhere.

Earthquake death toll remained at three, the NDRRMC report noted, but the number of people injured rose to 65.

As for the assistance already given by the national government, the NDRRMC said it so far distributed to affected residents P49,042,658 worth of aid, which included more than P47 million from the Department of Social Welfare and Development and more than P1 million from the Office of the Civil Defense and local government units.