QUAKES!

By NITZ ARANCON,
Correspondent and
FROILAN GALLARDO,
Special Correspondent

AYALA Corp.’s Centrio Mall shut its doors following the 6.4 magnitude earthquake that sent people rushing outdoors yesterday.

Centrio, a mall standing on a 3.7-hectare property that stretches from CM Recto Avenue, Corrales Avenue up to Capt. Vicente Roa St., closed itself for a day to enable engineers to check the structural integrity of the three-level mall, and over fears of aftershocks.

It was the first time a mall in the city closed to the public for an entire day because of an earthquake. It was unclear exactly how costly the decision was but a former mall executive estimated that a mall in downtown Cagayan de Oro could easily lose P20 million in gross sales if it closes for a day.

Yesterday’s mainshock at 9:04 am and its aftershocks followed the magnitude 6.3 earthquake that sent people here panicking in the evening of Oct. 16.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) reported that the epicenter of yesterday’s mainshock was 26 kilometers northeast of Tulunan, North Cotabato.

City hall spokesperson Maricel Rivera said the mainshock registered Intensity IV in Cagayan de Oro and Misamis Oriental in the Earthquake Intensity Meter.

Phivolcs said the earthquake had a depth of eight kilometers and was of tectonic origin.

City schools superintendent Jonathan dela Peña canceled classes in all elementary and secondary levels here over fears of aftershocks and to allow building inspections in the campuses.

Isidro Obligado, head of the Office of the Building Official in the city, said Centrio Mall was the first to be inspected because of cracks reported in Teleperformance, a calling center at Centrio.

Obligado said some tiles cracked. “Hino-on, ang entire building sa Ayala mall, wala may problema, ”Obligado said.

It was a management decision, said Katrina Caragdag, a Centrio Mall marketing executive, so that engineering experts could thoroughly inspect the mall.

She said the mall would be opened to the public again today.

The mainshock yesterday prompted Ayala Corp. executives to send everyone out, including 416 workers of Robinson’s, and 94 mall guards.

The mall was supposed to open less than an hour later, but by 10 am, guards already barred people from getting in.

Fear overwhelmed people inside the mall that at least five workers — Alana Chel Vinsita, Angel Tapang, Novelyn Villarte, Ermilyn Iqueen, and Julie Maclay — passed out and had to be rushed to the hospital.

“Wala nahino-oy problema, luwas na ang ilang kahimtang kay gi-atiman man dayon sila sa mga doktor,” Caragdag said.

Fernando Vincent Dy, head of Misamis Oriental’s disaster risk reduction management office, said the earthquake sent capitol officials employees outdoors, but the main building of the provincial government has remained sturdy.

“Naka gawas tanan ang atong mga empleyado sa kapitolyo, ug wala ilang problema kay wala may piligro ang atong provincial capitol building,” said Dy.

Dy said the capitol received no report of major damages or casualties in the province at press time.

Strong quake intensities were also felt in the cities of Koronadal, Cotabato, General Santos, Tacurong, Kidapawan, and Davao, among others.

Near the epicenter in North Cotabato, a 67-year-old retired government employee was pinned to death while several elementary graders were hurt.

S/Sgt. Archie Estrella of the Koronadal police station said Nestor Narciso was helping in the construction of the Marbel Evangelical Church when the earthquake struck.

Estrella said Narciso was crushed when a concrete wall collapsed; he was declared dead on arrival at the South Cotabato provincial hospital in Koronadal City.

Several students of the Daig Elementary School in Tulunan town, North Cotabato were injured and had to be rushed to various hospitals.

This Oct. 16, a magnitude 6.3 quake jolted Tulunan town, killing four people and injuring several others.

A 15-year-old identified as Jessie Riel Parba also died after being hit by falling debris in his school in Magsaysay, Davao del Sur.

Cagayan de Oro Mayor Oscar Moreno called on engineers here to help in assessing all public and private structures even as he expressed fears that the second powerful earthquake to jolt the city and other areas in Mindanao this month may have compromised the structural integrity of establishments.

Moreno’s call came even as city hall fielded its engineers to start building inspections yesterday morning.

Among those inspected were Centrio Mall, the SM malls, Gaisano malls Limketkai mall, some condominium buildings, and hospitals.

City engineer Roland Pacuribot said local government engineers inspected city hall, the building being used by the Court of Appeals, the Land Bank of the Philippines on Velez Street, the Northern  Mindanao Medical Center, and the JR Borja Memorial General Hospital. He said the buildings are all safe for public use.

City hall engineers also inspected the bridge linking JR Borja Street to Carmen.

“Wala may problema ang ubang mga building pero mag padayon pa gihapon kami sa among ocular inspection, sa uban pang mga buildings labi na kay duha na kahigayon nga gitayog sa kusog nga linog ang atong syudad,” said Engr. Obligado.