Residents of Itbayat, Batanes, experience “lingering fear” as aftershocks were still felt after a series of deadly earthquakes last Saturday, town Mayor Raul de Sagon said Monday.
In a phone interview, De Sagon said the number of casualties rose to nine as per reports he received from the ground after the search, rescue and retrieval (SRR) operations conducted in Itbayat.
Another individual remained missing while 63 others were injured.
“Siyam na. Hindi ko pa nababalitaan kung anong result ng retrieval operations. Mayroon pa kaming isa na nawawala,” he said.
Updated information from the 505th Search and Rescue (SR) Group of the Philippine Air Force (PAF) said the ninth fatality was identified as Edwin Ponce, 32, a casual employee of the Department of Agriculture (DA).
The 505th PAF SR Group said they first recovered the victim’s foot Monday morning; and at past 2 p.m., his body was found in a supposed man-made cave where he apparently sought shelter during the quakes.
Contrary to the town mayor’s pronouncement, the search and rescue group said Ponce was the missing person they were finding. All fatalities have been accounted for, so far.
Most of the residents of Itbayat town were staying at the town plaza as they await for relief goods from the local government, De Sagon said.
“Nasa plaza pa rin kami. Mayroon pang mga aftershocks although mahina na at hindi na ganoon kadalas,” he said.
According to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), a total of 230 aftershocks were recorded as of 4 a.m. Monday, of which 35 were plotted and 11 were felt ranging from magnitude 2.2 to 5.9 and Intensity III to VII.
“Of course merong lingering fear pero so far, wala namang mga outward appearances na talagang hindi sila lumalaban,” De Sagon noted.
The earthquakes also resulted to P47 million worth of damages to hospital infrastructures, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said. (Martin Sadondong)
