By ELLALYN RUIZ
A six-year-old girl died reportedly after being hit by falling debris during the 6.9-magnitude earthquake that jolted Davao del Sur and other parts of Mindanao yesterday afternoon.
Police Brig. Gen. Filmore Escobal, director of the Davao region police, said the victim was declared dead at the Dalapo Hospital.
He identified the victim as Cherbel Gador, a resident of Barangay Asinan, Matanao, Davao del Sur.
Escobal said the victim was taken to the hospital by the local policemen who assisted the affected residents.
The powerful tremor occurred almost two months after a series of strong earthquakes hit Mindanao.
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) recorded the earthquake around 2:11 p.m. and traced its epicenter nine kilometers northwest of Matanao, Davao del Sur.
The earthquake was felt as a “destructive” tremor at Intensity VII in Matanao and Magsaysay in Davao del Sur.
It was recorded as a “very strong” earthquake at Intensity VI in Kidapawan City; General Santos City; Bansalan, Davao del Sur; Alabel and Malapatan, Sarangani; and Koronadal City.
The ground shaking was recorded at Intensity V or “strong” shaking in Tulunan and Matalam, Cotabato; Cotabato City; Davao City; and Glan, Sarangani.
Meanwhile, the quake was recorded at Intensity III as a “weak” shaking in Kalilangan, Talakag and Dangcagan in Bukidnon.
Impasugong, Bukidnon; Cagayan de Oro City; and Dipolog City felt the earthquake at Intensity II as a “slight” shaking, while it was “scarcely perceptible” at Intensity I in Zamboanga del Sur.
Phivolcs’ instruments also recorded the tremor at Intensity VIII as a “very destructive” quake in Malungon, Sarangani.
It said the quake was tectonic in origin, which means the tremor was caused by the movement of an active fault in the area.
Likewise, the tremor was shallow at a depth of three kilometers, thus, the strong shaking.
Phivolcs said aftershocks are likely to occur.
Police forces in Davao region were mobilized to assist in the search, rescue, and other post-disaster action following the strong quake.
Police Lt. Gen. Archie Gamboa, officer-in-charge of the Philippine National Police (PNP), said he immediately ordered Escobal, to consolidate police efforts to assist the affected residents.
“I instructed the PRO 11 to mobilize all police units and immediately respond to the situation to ensure safety of the public,” said Gamboa.
Initial reports disclosed that the public market of Padada collapsed.
National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) Executive Director Ricardo Jalad said a stall at Padada Public Market in Padada, Davao del Sur, collapsed during the quake.
He said they have yet to validate reports that there were vendors and market-goers in the area when the structure collapsed.
Rescue operations were already being conducted by the Davao del Sur Rescue Team as of this writing, he said.
“No reported casualties as of the moment,” Jalad said.
In Kidapawan City, shoppers at the Gaisanao Grand Mall, one of the biggest malls there, scampered for safety during the quake.
The management immediately ordered the closure of its mall when everyone was already outside the building, reports said.
The mall had just opened for business in November after the management completed the retrofitting of areas damaged by strong earthquakes in October, a mall employee said.
Shoppers said they heard and saw several broken kitchen and glassware at the mall’s second floor.
Children were the most traumatized, a certain Caryl Joy, also a shopper, said.
“I saw children cried out loud, looking for their moms. Some of them were placed inside the play house while their parents were doing the grocery,” she said.
The management has yet to issue advisory as to its operations.
Other grocery centers and food chains were immediately closed for business after the ground shaking. (with reports from Aaron Recuenco, Malu Cadelina Manar, Martin Sadongdong, and Argyll Geducos)
TO BE UPDATED
