AT least 36 people were injured and scores of structures, including churches and school buildings, were damaged in a magnitude 6.4 quake that struck on Tuesday night in Abra.
The tremor came nearly three months after a magnitude 7 quake hit the province. The July 27 quake killed 11 people including six in Abra, injured about 570 others, and affected at least 570,000 persons in the Ilocos and Cagayan Valley regions and the Cordillera Administrative Region.
President Marcos gave the assurance there is enough food and other relief items, including tents for temporary shelter, residents affected by the latest quake.
Social Welfare Secretary Erwin Tulfo flew to Ilocos Norte and joined Gov. Matthew Manotoc in assessing the damage in the province, and later proceeded to Abra to ensure that assistance is provided to the earthquake victims.
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said the quake occurred at 10:59 p.m. Tuesday. Its epicenter was some 7 km northeast of Lagayan town. It was tectonic in origin and had a depth of 13 kilometers.
As of 2 p.m. yesterday, Phivolcs said it has recorded 466 aftershocks, ranging from magnitude 1.4 to 4.8.
No one was reported killed in the quake. Of the 36 injured individuals, 26 were from Ilocos Norte and 10 from Abra, according to military officials.
Lt. Col. Elmar Salvador, spokesman of the AFP Northern Luzon Command, said the 26 injured in Ilocos Norte are from Batac and Laoag cities and the towns of San Nicolas, Dingras, Marcos, and Badoc.
Salvador said among the damaged structures were damaged in Ilocos Norte were the Paoay Church, Sta Monica Church, Saint Joseph Parish Church, four PNP buildings, several hospitals, and school buildings.
In Abra, the 10 were injured mostly by falling debris, said Capt. Rigor Pamitan, spokesman of the 5th Infantry Division. They are from the towns of Lagayan, San Juan, Daguioman and San Quintin, Pamitan said.
He also said 52 families or 182 individuals were displaced in the province.
Citing information from the Department of Education, Pamitan said 58 school buildings were damaged in Abra.
Pamitan said the Tower Belfry of the Iglesias Filipina Independiente Church in La Paz, Abra was also damaged.
Pamitan said soldiers have been deployed to help in clearing roads of debris.
The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said it has recorded only five injured, all from Lagayan, Abra.
On damaged houses, NDRRMC spokesman Bernardo Rafaelito Alejandro IV said assessment is ongoing.
He also said the Abra-Ilocos Norte road remained close as of yesterday due to debris. “The clearing operation is ongoing to make this road passable again,” said Alejandro.
Alejandro said 30 local government units the Ilocos region and CAR suspended classes yesterday, while 28 local government units suspended work.
The quake was felt at intensity VI in La Paz, Abra; Batac and Laoag cities and Banna, Carasi, Dingras, and Sarrat towns in Ilocos Norte.
Intensity V shaking was reported in several other towns in Abra, Apayao, Benguet, Kalinga, Mountain Province, Ilocos Sur, La Union, and Cagayan. — With Jocelyn Montemayor
