The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council reported yesterday that 18 persons have been killed while 282 were injured by the magnitude-6.1 earthquake that struck Castillejos, Zambales last Monday.
Seven other persons are still missing.
NDRRMC Executive Director and Office of Civil Defense Administrator Undersecretary Ricardo B. Jalad said based on their latest situational report, an estimated P505-million worth of damage to schools as well as to roads and bridges has so far been recorded in Regions 1, 3, 4-A or Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, and Quezon area), and National Capital Region.
Jalad said 1,230 damaged houses (156 totally and 1,074 partially) in Bataan and Pampanga and 138 damaged structures in Region 3 and NCR have been reported.
A total of 3,205 families or 14,901 persons were affected in 13 cities and municipalities in Region 3.
Nine-hundred nine families or 3,381 persons are being served inside evacuation centers and 951 families or 4,756 persons are being accommodated outside evacuation centers.
Jalad said a total of P1,181,268.50 worth of assistance coming from the Office of Civil Defense, Department of Social Welfare and Development, and local government units have been provided for Pampanga and Zambales for the conduct of the ongoing response operations.
Jalad clarified that the 18 recorded deaths are still subject for validation or verification.
NDRRMC spokesman Director Edgar Posadas disclosed that search, rescue, and retrieval operations will continue at the collapsed Chuzon Supermarket in Porac, Pampanga despite no signs of life beneath the rubble.
“Sa ngayon, unfortunately, wala na per the experts, per life detector. But you know every technology has its own pitfalls. Pero kung technically if you are using the equipment now, wala na silang ma detect,” Posadas said.
Posadas said as agreed upon during the meeting at the barangay hall of Barangay Cangatba in Porac Thursday, responders will continue to be on SRR mode which is expected to last from two days to a week.
He said there are seven individuals reportedly still missing and believed trapped in the rubble. He said they are not giving up hope that the persons are still alive despite the life detector saying otherwise.
Meanwhile, the NDRRMC said yesterday that 93 families or 372 persons from 18 barangays in Eastern and Western Samar were affected by magnitude-6.5 earthquake in San Julian, Eastern Samar Tuesday.
Jalad said based on their latest situational report, 40 persons were injured by the earthquake and as of 4 a.m. yesterday, 103 aftershocks have been recorded, of which 27 were plotted and five were felt, ranging from magnitude-1.8 to 4.6 and Intensity 1 to 4.
The NDRRMC official said 92 damaged houses (four totally and 88 partially) were reported in Eastern and Western Samar.
Jalad also said that several health, educational, and commercial structures sustained damages from the earthquake in Regions 5, 6, and 8. (Francis Wakefield)
