BY IME SORNITO, IAN PAUL CORDERO and GLENDA SOLOGASTOA
ILOILO City – Earthquakes of tectonic origin struck this city, Iloilo and Antique provinces in Panay Island, and the island province of Guimaras yesterday morning. The tremors were felt as far as Capiz and Negros Occidental. Anxious people rushed out of their houses, offices, schools, malls, and other business establishments.
The first quake was felt at 7:45 a.m. Measuring at magnitude 4.7, its epicenter was five kilometers southeast of San Remigio, Antique, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS). An initial report from the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) placed it at some eight kilometers of the capital town of San Jose but later revised it to be in Leon, Iloilo.
Guimaras reported a milder magnitude 4.0 tremor shortly after. Phivolcs said it was tectonic in origin, too, and its epicenter was two kilometers northwest of Sibunag town but later revised it to be in Buenavista.
A stronger earthquake at magnitude 4.8 was felt around 10:54 a.m. This time, the epicenter was five kilometers northwest of Guimbal, Iloilo (later revised to be in Leon, Iloilo), according to Phivolcs. It was also tectonic in origin and was also felt in parts of Capiz and Negros Occidental provinces.
Iloilo City mayor Jose Espinosa III and Gov. Arthur Defensor Sr. suspended work at city hall and the provincial capitol, respectively.
Espinosa also suspended classes in all levels.
According to the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, there were also class suspensions in Antique; Jordan and Nueva Valencia towns in Guimaras; and Tubungan, Miag-ao, Guimbal, Leon, Alimodian, Maasin, Tigbauan, San Miguel, New Lucena, and Oton municipalities in Iloilo province.
ANTIQUE EXPERIENCE
The first earthquake was serendipitous for Antique. The provincial capital San Jose was earlier chosen as ceremonial site in Western Visayas of the fourth quarter Nationwide Simultaneous Earthquake Drill (NSED).
The drill was held an hour after the 4.7 magnitude earthquake.
“The drill aimed to raise public awareness on what to do before and after an earthquake,” said Regional Director Roberto Nuñez of the Office of Civil Defense (OCD)
Nuñez, together with Provincial Administrator Nery Duremdes and Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Officer Broderick Train, kicked off the drill at 8:45 a.m. simulating a magnitude 7.2 earthquake scenario.
Participants – government employees, students and other sectors – performed the duck, cover and hold technique. Pupils from Baybay Elementary School evacuated to a higher ground to evade a possible tsunami, while responders attended to quake “victims.”
The drill was observed by several officials from the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council and other sectors to find out what were needed to be improved as far as disaster response and mitigations were concerned, according to Nuñez.
ILOILO CITY CLASSES SUSPENDED
Donna Magno, head of the Iloilo City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO), said employees and students of several schools and offices sought safer grounds.
They resumed normal activities after their buildings and offices were declared safe.
Cracks, however, appeared at the new Special Science Class building of Baluarte Elementary School in Barangay Baluarte, Molo district, Mandurriao National High School, Juntado Elementary School, La Paz National High School, and San Pedro National High School.
Mayor Espinosa ordered the City Engineer’s Office to inspect these schools.
He also activated the disaster command center spearheaded by the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council.
“We have been doing our best to educate people on what to do during and after earthquakes,” said Magno but she admitted the CDRRMO could not say how well prepared Iloilo City is.
Only two weeks ago, several personnel of the city government underwent a rapid earthquake damage assessment system (REDAS) training that could help “plot areas that are exposed to earthquakes.”
“Aside from that we have earthquake drills. We have been receiving requests from offices and schools for disaster preparedness activitiess,” said Magno.
HAIRLINE CRACKS
In Iloilo province, several schools reported sustaining hairline cracks.
In the town of Guimbal, these schools were the following:
* Igcocolo Elementary School
* Cabasi-Sta. Rosa Elementary School
* Particion National High School
* Nanga Elementary School
* Nalundan Elementary School
* Camangahan Elementary School
* Guimbal Central Elementary School
* Guimbal National High School
Grace Villaspin, Guimbal disaster risk reduction and management office chief, said the municipal hall and Rep. Pedro G. Trono Memorial District Hospital also had hairline cracks.
There were no reported injuries, however, she stressed.
In the town of Tubungan, Tubungan National High School and Lanag Norte National High School reported sustaining hairline cracks.
According to Joyce Ann Javier, Tubungan disaster risk reduction and management officer, the municipal hall, rural health unit extension, and four houses also had hairline cracks.
The belfry of the ancient Tubungan Parish Church also sustained minor damage, said Tubungan mayor Vicente Gargaritano.
The municipality of Barotac Nuevo reported hairline cracks at Barotac Nuevo National Comprehensive High School while the town of Alimodian reported the same regarding the Parish of St. Thomas of Villanova Church./PN
