SLABS OF HISTORY People walk past debris from the historic Basilica of Saint Martin of Tours after an earthquake shook Taal town and the rest of Batangas province on Tuesday night, sending thousands of residents out of their homes and patients out of hospitals for safety. —RICHARD A. REYES
BATANGAS CITY—As soon as the 5.5-magnitude earthquake struck about 9 p.m. on Tuesday, thousands started fleeing their homes in the coastal villages of Batangas province.
When the shaking of the ground stopped, several school buildings, local establishments and churches, including a centuries-old basilica in Taal town, stood damaged.
As of Wednesday, no earthquake-related casualty had been reported.
Georgina Garcia, information officer of the regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council in Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon) said at least 4,000 people from the coastal town of Mabini evacuated to higher grounds for fear of a tsunami.
In Lemery town, around 1,800 residents evacuated to a covered court in the next town of Taal when aftershocks were felt, said Senior Insp. Carizza Matel, Taal police chief.
All evacuees were sent home at dawn on Wednesday, Garcia said.
The earthquake, with the epicenter in Tingloy town in Batangas, struck at 8:58 p.m. on Tuesday and was followed by a series of aftershocks that continued until Wednesday afternoon.
It was felt at lesser intensities in Southern Tagalog and as far as Metro Manila.
More than 500 aftershocks
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) reported recording more than 500 aftershocks by Wednesday.
The strongest of the aftershocks was 4.9 magnitude, recorded at 12:49 a.m. on Wednesday. It caused Intensity 3 shaking in Tagaytay City, Quezon City and Pasig City.
As public anxiety remained high after the temblor, Malacañang called on the people on Wednesday to beware of and refrain from spreading fake earthquake news.
Presidential spokesperson Ernesto Abella also stressed the need for the public to remain alert.
Classes suspended
“We ask our people, especially the residents of the province of Batangas, to remain vigilant and alert in light of last night’s earthquake. Let us refrain from forwarding news from unverified sources that may cause undue alarm and panic,” Abella said.
Batangas Gov. Hermilando Mandanas ordered the cancellation of Wednesday’s afternoon classes in schools. Work in government offices in the province was also suspended.
Laguna Gov. Ramil Hernandez announced on Tuesday night the suspension of classes in all levels on Wednesday. He also asked school administrators and engineers to initiate building inspections in their areas to assess earthquake-related damage.
The University of the Philippines Los Baños also announced on its Facebook page on Tuesday night the suspension of classes on Wednesday to make way for building inspections.
Garcia described the damage from the earthquake in the region as “minor,” but said she received several reports starting on Tuesday night.
“Damage was minor, like broken glass windows or fallen [debris], although there were too many [reports],” she said.
Hospitals, churches
In Batangas City, patients in four hospitals were taken to open grounds following the quake, said city disaster risk reduction officer Rod de la Roca.
He said this happened at Jesus of Nazareth Hospital, St. Patrick Hospital, Golden Gate Hospital and Batangas Medical Center, the biggest hospital in the city.
“Patients on IVs and stretchers stayed outside the hospitals for four to five hours. They said they felt better that way,” De la Roca said in a phone interview.
In Taal town, a portion of the stone facade of the Saint Martin de Tours Basilica, also called the Taal Basilica, was chipped off.
Mandanas said the province set aside P1 million for the repair of the church, which was built in 1575 and was declared a National Historical Landmark.
The provincial government will also distribute 200 bags of cement to help in repair work in Tingloy town.
An altar of the Immaculate Conception Church in Batangas City also showed cracks but city engineers inspected the church and announced that it was safe for use, De la Roca said.
He said people showed they were alert by the way they responded to the earthquake.
“We are happy … because we realized that all those training for earthquake drills and protocols were taken seriously,” he said. —WITH REPORTS FROM LEILA B. SALAVERRIA, JAYMEE T. GAMIL AND KIMMY BARAOIDAN