5,000 flee homes after Batangas quake — disaster official

“Outpatients” get new meaning at Batangas Medical Center after the magnitude 6 earthquake that struck the province on Saturday. KRISTINE DE VERA/CONTRIBUTOR

LUCENA CITY – After a swarm of earthquakes rocked parts of Southern Luzon on Saturday, more than 5,500 individuals were evacuated in different towns in Batangas province, a disaster official in the Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon (Calabarzon) region said Sunday.

Olivia Luces, Calabarzon-Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (RDRRMC) director, said over 2,000 residents of Mabini town evacuated to the front area of the municipal hall. The quake was felt the strongest in Mabini at intensity VII.

READ: Earthquake swarm hits Batangas

At least 3,000 also evacuated to 11 temporary shelters in Batangas City.

Still undetermined numbers of evacuees were reported in the towns of Bauan, Taal, Tingloy, San Pascual, Agoncillo, San Luis and Lipa City. No casualty was reported. CBB/rga