Families affected by the magnitude 7 earthquake that rocked Abra and nearby provinces in northern Luzon on 27 July has climbed to 62,024, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) reported yesterday.
The data is equivalent to 228,238 persons living in 639 villages in the regions of Ilocos, Cagayan Valley and Cordillera.
The NDRRMC said 46 evacuation centers are sheltering 1,910 families or 6,490 individuals, while the rest are being aided by families and friends.
The agency has confirmed four deaths in Cordillera and 300 injured — two in Cagayan Valley and 298 in Cordillera.
Still undergoing validation are reports of two deaths in Ilocos and Cagayan Valley and the identities of four bodies retrieved in Abra and 20 injured.
Abra province was the hardest hit by the earthquake that had an epicenter in the town of Tayum.
Intensity 5 was felt in Manila and 4 in Makati, Mandaluyong, Marikina, Quezon City, Pasay, and Pasig.
Properties affected
Damaged houses were placed at 12,802 in Ilocos, Cagayan Valley, Cordillera, and the National Capital Region.
Of the total, 12,645 were classified as “partially damaged” and 157 as “totally damaged.”
The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) reported the partial cost of damage to roads, bridges, and flood-control structures at P596.7 million as of Saturday.
DPWH-Cordillera recorded initial damage to infrastructure at P491,170,138.76.
The report, released Friday night, showed that Abra sustained the most damage, estimated at P436.1 million.
The damage were mostly on roads, particularly at the Abra-Ilocos Norte Road; Abra-Cervantes Road; Abra-Kalinga Road; and Abra-Ilocos Sur Road, placed at P246,130,000.
Damage to flood control infrastructure is at P190 million while the National Irrigation Authority reported P4.5 million worth of damage in Cordillera.
Aside from Abra, the 1st District Engineering Office (DEO) in Ifugao recorded an initial PHP20 million damage, and Benguet’s 1st DEO, P18,807,138.76.
State-run Technical Education and Skills Development Authority’s Director General Danilo P. Cruz instructed the agency’s field offices to help the areas affected by the 7.0 magnitude earthquake that hit Northern Luzon last 27 July.
Cruz said he has directed regional and provincial offices of the agency to send assistance through the “TESDAmayan” Program in a memorandum to its field offices in Regions I and II and Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR).
The “TESDAmayan” is the agency’s banner program that aims to assist communities affected by any crisis brought about by natural calamities, disasters, or any other untoward incidents which cause displacement.
Under his directive, the field offices were also directed to activate their disaster team/Regional Augmentation Team to ensure that affected areas would be assisted and provided interventions in terms of human resources and technical complementation.