Mindanao earthquake aftermath: Mandaue, Lapu-Lapu ready to send help

MANDAUE CITY, Cebu — The cities of Mandaue and Lapu-Lapu are prepared to send assistance to communities affected by the magnitude 7.8 earthquake in Mindanao on Monday, June 8.

Mandaue City Mayor Thadeo “Jonkie” Ouano said that the city government is considering providing financial aid to affected residents in General Santos City.

Meanwhile, Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Cindi King-Chan said that she is coordinating with the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, the Office of Civil Defense Region 7, and other national agencies.

READ ALSO: Mindanao quake: Senate majority to visit stricken areas

The magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck off Sarangani at 7:47 a.m. It killed 32 people, injured more than 200 others, and sent a 1-meter (3-foot) tsunami into nearby coasts.

Mindanao earthquake: Local governments ready to help

A few buildings collapsed and key infrastructure sustained quake damage in the city of General Santos. Tsunami damage was reported in at least one coastal village. Smaller waves were measured in Indonesia and Palau and as far away as southern Japan.

“We are considering how to extend assistance to the people of GenSan. Naghuna-huna ko nga magpadala ta og emergency team medyo layo man and magtravel pa padung didto..Siguro mas maayo nga cash nalang kay kahibaw man sila didto sa panginahanglan,” said Mayor Ouano.

(I was thinking that we should send an emergency team but it’s far and the team would take time to travel there. Maybe cash would be better because local officials would know best what they need.)

Making schools safer

However, the mayor said that the amount of financial assistance has yet to be determined. The Mandaue City Council will need to discuss and approve it. He added that talks are ongoing on how the city can best support areas the earthquake affected.

The quake occurred on the first day of classes in public schools.

Learning from that, Mayor Ouano said that Mandaue City will continue strengthening earthquake drills in schools. Officials will also review additional preparedness measures, including emergency equipment and supplies for students.

He also said that the city will assess the conditions of school buildings and other infrastructure across Mandaue.

Sending workers to Mindanao earthquake-hit areas

While previous inspections and retrofitting works have been conducted, Ouano acknowledged that older structures may still face challenges during a major earthquake. He stressed the need to consult disaster management officials and experts on further mitigation measures.

For her part, Mayor King-Chan of Lapu-Lapu City said that five trained personnel have been placed on standby for possible deployment to Mindanao as part of an Incident Management Team.

The mayor said that the Lapu-Lapu City Government remains on heightened alert as the situation develops and expressed solidarity with residents in Mindanao affected by the earthquake.

The quake also triggered a landslide in Sarangani province that killed at least 13 villagers.

Strongest quake to hit the country this year

“It’s a major earthquake,” said Teresito Bacolcol, director of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology. He warned people to seek advice before returning to damaged buildings and houses, which could collapse due to aftershocks.

The quake, the strongest to strike the country this year, was centered at sea off Mindanao.

According to Bacolcol, the quake occurred at a depth of 33 kilometers (20 miles), about 32 kilometers (20 miles) southwest of Maasim town in Sarangani. With a report from Jim Gomez of the Associated Press

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