3 persons hurt, 4 homes damaged in Zamboanga quake

Screengrab from Phivolcs website

ZAMBOANGA CITY – Three persons were injured here while four houses, made of light materials, suffered damages following the magnitude 6 earthquake that hit many parts of Western Mindanao and neighboring areas on Thursday morning.

But authorities said the injuries, caused by a falling divider and a crumbling fence during the 2:21 a.m. earthquake, were all moderate.

Elmer Apolinario, the city disaster risk reduction and management officer, identified those injured as Arcinia Natividad and her son, Raymond, and Juliana Makahibag, all of Barangay Sinunuc here. The Natividads were injured by a falling divider while Makahibag was hit by debris when her fence collapsed.

The damaged structures were also in the said village, he said.

Sheila Belen Covarrubias, the city information officer, said all houses were made of light materials.

Engineer Rommel Allan Labayog of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology here, said the tectonic quake lasted for about 10 seconds and was shallow at about 16 kilometers. It took place some 17 kilometers off Baliguian town in Zamboanga del Norte.

READ: Magnitude 6 quake hits Zamboanga del Norte

On its website, Phivolcs said the quake have originated at sea, 19 kilometers northwest off Baliguian.

It was felt at Intensity V here; Intensity IV in  Baliguian, Gutalac, Ipil, Labason, Siocon, Sibuco, and Titay, Zamboanga Del Norte and Isabela City in Basilan; Intensity III in Sirawai and Liloy towns, also in Zamboanga Del Norte; and Intensity II in Dipolog City and Oroquieta City in Misamis Occidental.

Apolinario said all residents living near the coastal areas were told to be more vigilant as Phivolcs said it was expecting aftershocks.

He cited the 1976 earthquake, which only triggered a devastating tsunami on the Moro Gulf 12 hours after it hit.

Mayor Ma. Isabelle Salazar said disaster response teams were on standby for any emergency.

“Let us remain calm but vigilant,” she said. CDG