Bukidnon suffers extensive damage

By NITZ ARANCON with JIGGER J. JERUSALEM
Correspondents

KADINGILAN, Bukidnon — Hundreds fled their homes to safer grounds as houses and other establishments either cracked and collapsed as this town found itself just a few kilometers from the epicenter of a magnitude 5.9 earthquake on Monday night.

There was no fatality report at press time and the town government reported only one injury but the damages caused by this week’s quake in this town were extensive.

The magnitude 5.9 earthquake shook Bukidnon at around 9:22 pm, Monday. As of 9:44 am. yesterday, 42 aftershocks have been recorded by the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs).

Marcial Labininay, Phivolcs director, said the tremor reached Intensity 6, shaking homes and causing cracks to some buildings.

He said the quake was of tectonic origin with a depth of five kilometers. Its epicenter was traced at eight kilometers northwest of Kadingilan town.

Four town residents were rushed to a hospital in Don Carlos town but three of them were due to anxiety and not because of injuries.

Andresa Polon, a resident of Barangay Matambay, Kadingilan town, sustained a head injury and had to be rushed to a hospital, police said.

Kadingilan Mayor Jerry Canoy said the town hall’s executive and legislative buildings cracked, prompting him to suspend work yesterday.

Canoy said the public school in the town also showed signs of being damaged and so, he suspended classes, too.

Many houses were either destroyed or damaged but the town government has yet to release an official count.

Canoy said safety officials have started inspecting government facilities, including barangay halls, and other structures.

Brig. Gen. Rolando Anduyan, police regional director, said that as of Tuesday afternoon, no one was reported killed although patients confined at high-rise hospitals in Valencia City had to be evacuated moments after the quake.

There were reports of quake-related injuries in another Bukidnon town. Authorities identified them as Emilda Acma, 53; Louella Guarin, 54; Christian Tagylo, 34; Aiza Abilay; and Ronna Mae Cainglet, 45, all residents of Barangay Camp 1, Maramag town, Bukidnon.

A Phivolcs’ report showed the quake was felt in areas with their corresponding scales: the towns of Kalilangan, Don Carlos, Maramag, Kitaotao, and San Fernando, Bukidnon – Intensity 6; Damulog, Talakag and Valencia City, Bukidnon – Intensity 5;
Midsayap and Kidapawan City in North Cotabato, and Marawi City – Intensity 5;

Impasugong and Malaybalay City, Bukidnon; Malungon, Sarangani, Antipas, Cotabato, Rosario, Agusan del Sur; Cotabato City; Davao City; Koronadal City; and Cagayan de Oro City – Intensity 4.

Over radio station DxDB, Canoy said that after the quake, officials went around Kadingilan and advised residents to stay outside their homes for the whole night to prevent injuries in case of aftershocks.

Canoy said he did not allow the residents to stay in the municipal gym, as he could not assure that it was still safe.

He said he ordered the suspension of classes but municipal employees were told to report to work to help clear the town’s legislative and executive buildings of debris.

He said both buildings sustained damage but their foundations and beams were not affected.

A Rapid Damage Assessment and Needs Analysis team has been deployed to all 17 barangays together with the Bureau of Fire Protection, National Police and the Army’s 88th Infantry Battalion.

A town hall report showed that as of 8:31 am, cracks were noted in the Rural Health Unit building while the ceiling of the Office of the Municipal Health Officer collapsed.

A classroom on the second floor of the San Isidro High School and a classroom at the San Isidro Elementary School were declared unsafe.

The report said “ceiling fell (detached)” in San Isidro High School. It is not clear in the report if this is the room that has been declared unsafe.
One room in the pre-school of a private school has also been declared unsafe.

At the Kadingilan Central Elementary School, a reservoir cracked, one room has been condemned and three rooms – for Grades 1, 2 and 4 – have been declared unsafe.

Cracks were also noted on the wall of the First Community Cooperative Building.

In Barangay Sibonga, some 56 households were affected. Eight houses suffered “major damages” such as “falling concrete,” shattered glass, cracks on the wall. The report also said, “kitchen and comfort room fell.”

In Barangay Kibogtok, seven households were affected, and in the health center, portions of the ceiling collapsed and cracks were found on the wall.

In Barangay Husayan, seven houses were destroyed while two houses had been declared unsafe.

In Barangay Pay-as, several houses damaged. Residents were advised to stay outdoors.
In Barangay Cabadiangan, cracks were seen on the posts of the public terminal and appliances were reported damaged in three houses.

The San Andres National High School Annex in Cabadiangan had cracks on some walls and posts of the two-story building. The ceiling made of Hardiflex collapsed.

In Kibalagon Elementary School, two classrooms were declared unsafe; cracks on the walls were noted as well as “debris from the classroom wall.”
In Barangay Salvacion, barangay chair Rodrigo Casas said at least 10 houses in his village were damaged.

No damages were reported in Bagongbayan, Bagor, Balaoro, Baroy, Mabuhay, Matampay, Pinamangguan and San Andres.

In Maramag, at least 80 families in Barangay Camp 1 evacuated to the village’s covered court after the quake.

In Valencia City, Mayor Azucena Huervas declared a suspension of classes in all levels.

In Don Carlos town, the buildings of Simbulan Hospital and Pahilan Hospital were also damaged. (with reports from Mindanews and PIA)