MANILA – Two children reportedly died in separate barangays in Porac, Pampanga as a magnitude 6.1 earthquake of tectonic origin struck parts of central Luzon on Monday afternoon.
Porac vice mayor Dexter David said the victims aged three and seven years old and at least 40 persons were trapped inside a collapsed four-storey building.
“Hindi na po sila nakasurvive [‘yung dalawan bata],” David said in GMA 7’s 24 Oras. “May 40 katao din na natrap sa loob ng isang building. Totally bumagsak po talaga ‘yung apat na palapag na building.”
Still in Pampanga, Clark International Airport was shut down on Monday evening as parts of it were damaged by the strong earthquake.
Clark International Airport Corp. president Jim Melo said “operation is temporarily suspended except for enroute flights.” He confirmed some photos posted on social media which showed damages in some parts of the terminal’s roof and walls.
In Metro Manila, malls and trains were closed while some universities cancelled classes today. Senate announced the cancellation of work as damages were found on parts of its buildings.
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology initially measured the quake, with a depth of 21 km and lasted for around 30 seconds, at magnitude 5.7 before raising it to 6.1. The United States Geological Survey measured the quake at magnitude 6.3.
Intensity V was felt in Metro Manila including Quezon City, Valenzuela, and Manila; San Felipe in Zambales; Malolos, and Obando in Bulacan; Lipa in Batangas; Abucay in Bataan; and Magalang in Pampanga.
Intensity IV was felt at Caloocan, Marikina, Pasig, Makati, and Las Piñas in Metro Manila; Meycauayan, and San Jose del Monte in Bulacan; Floridablanca in Pampanga; Villasis in Pangasinan; Tagaytay in Cavite; and Baguio in Benguet.
Intensity III struck Muntinlupa in Metro Manila; Dasmariñas, Indang, and General Trias in Cavite; Lucban in Quezon; and Cabanatuan, Palayan, Gapan, Santo Domingo, and Talavera in Nueva Ecija. Baler in Aurora was hit by Intensity II quake. /PN
