UPDATE: 16 dead in Luzon quake — NDRRMC
Credit to Author: DEMPSEY REYES| Date: Tue, 23 Apr 2019 07:59:28 +0000
SAN FERNANDO CITY, Pampanga: At least 16 people were killed while 112 others were injured following Monday afternoon’s magnitude 6.1 earthquake that struck several areas in Luzon, authorities said on Tuesday.
Speaking to reporters before the situation briefing here with President Rodrigo Duterte, Health Secretary Franisco Duque 3rd said that the 15 deaths were from Pampanga, while one was from Zambales.
The quake’s epicenter was placed at Castillejos, Zambales.
He said rescuers were still looking for 15 people who were reported missing following the quake.
Of the 15 missing, 14 are believed to be trapped at the collapsed Chuzon Supermarket in Barangay Cangatba in Porac, Pampanga, while one was missing in Zambales.
In its report released to the media earlier on Tuesday, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said of the 15 dead, five were from Chuzon; seven from other villages, also in Porac; two from Lubao; and one in Angeles City.
The NDRRMC said the lone death in Zambales was from San Marcelino.
The disaster agency, however, has not released the identities of the victims.
The reported fatalities are still subject for validation by authorities conducting rescue operations in the area.
The NDRRMC also reported that 29 structures and buildings sustained damage following the strong quake.
It has also raised its alert status to “blue” since Monday night, with a memorandum directing all regional disaster councils to raise their alerts and continue monitoring their areas of responsibility.
Brig. Gen. Edgard Arevalo, military spokesman, said responders from the Philippine Army and the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) rescued nine persons from the collapsed supermarket.
Arevalo added that the Northern Luzon Command (Nolcom) has deployed a team of seven military officers and 60 enlisted personnel for search and rescue operations in at the Chuzon Supermarket.
The NDRRMC disclosed in its report that various agencies have deployed personnel for rescue operations, including 155 BFP personnel with rescue trucks, fire trucks and an ambulance; 138 policemen; 140 disaster council responders; and 90 personnel from the Philippine Air Force.
Several equipment were also provided, including backhoes, jackhammers, hydraulics and cranes to be used in expediting the search operations.
Apart from the damage in Pampanga, the NDRRMC said it also responded to the landslide at Mt. Bimmukel in San Marcelino, Zambales, where 120 families were evacuated.
The disaster agency also said the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has prepositioned 305,830 family food packs amounting to P110.9 million and non-food items amounting to P764.5 million. CATHERINE S. VALENTE
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