MANILA, Philippines –  The damage to infrastructure brought by the magnitude 6.6 earthquake that hit Masbate and other areas was estimated to be at P23.96 million, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) said.

In a statement issued Wednesday, the DPWH said that several roads, bridges and buildings sustained damage due to the earthquake that struck on Tuesday morning.

Partial cost of damage on roads is at P5.64 million, bridges at P8.96 million, and public buildings at P9.35 million, it said.

Based on its monitoring, the DPWH said that all national roads and bridges are passable in Masbate Island but there are sections that sustained damage.

“Assessment revealed that the following sections along Masbate-Cataingan-Placer Road were damaged: expansion joint of Gahit Bridge at K0070+420 in Cataingan; slope protection of the abutments of Nipa Bridge at K0022+080 and expansion joint of Nabangig Bridge at K0077+150 both in Palanas,” the department said.

Other roads and bridges that were damaged due to the quake also include: girder of Pinangapugan Bridge at K0035+040, pile cap (jacketing) and slope protection of Impapanan Bridge at K0022+322, and girder of Marcella Bridge at K0022+080 all located in the town of Uson. Damaged to road pavement were also observed at K0034+920 – K0036+000, Uson; K0070+680, Palanas; K0077+150, Cataingan; and K0085+150 – K0085+250, Placer.

“The K0075+836 section of Cataingan-Poblacion Road in Barangay Poblacion, Cataingan, Masbate also sustained damage box culvert,” the DPWH said.

“In Camarines Sur, DPWH assessment team noted minor damage at bank protection of Panganiban Bridge at K0482+425 in Barangay Nierva, Nabua town,” it added.

The department said it has installed road warning signs and safety devices along affected sections to guide motoring public.

The DPWH’s Bureau of Maintenance also reported damage to the following public buildings and ports: walls, partitions, tiles and glass door of DPWH Masbate 3rd District Engineering Office Building in Balocawe, Dimasalang; damage on columns, walls, and partitions of Palanas Police Station Building in Poblacion, Palanas; damage on roofing and firewall of Inocencio Central School Building in Villa-Inonencio, Placer; Cataingan Public Market and Cataingan Port in Poblacion, Cataingan; and Dimasalang Port in Poblacion, Dimasalang town.

The department said its post-earthquake assessment teams have already been deployed on the ground to check the extent of damage caused by the strong earthquake that occurred close to Masbate Island.

Isang sink hole ang nakita sa isang bayan ng Masbate matapos itong yanigin ng magnitude 6.6 na lindol noong Martes.

Ayon sa Masbate Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC), ang malaking bitak ay nakita sa ilalim ng dagat sa Barangay Kasabangan sa bayan ng Pio V Corpus.

May lapad ito na hanggang dalawang metro.

Sa ngayon ay nilagyan na ito ng mga sandbag at signage ng mga residente.

Ayon sa PDRRMC, susuriin pa ito ng Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) at ng Mines and Geosciences Bureau ng Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

Samantala, malalakas na aftershocks pa rin ang patuloy na nararanasan sa Masbate, partikular na sa bayan ng Cataingan na siyang sentro ng lindol.

Ayon kay Leny Torevillas, ang Officer in Charge ng PHIVOLCS-Masbate, aabot sa magnitude 5.2 ang pinakamalakas na naitalang aftershock at nasa 234 na ang bilang ng mga pagyanig na nararamdaman sa bayan ng Cataingan simula kahapon.

“So far, yung medyo malakas na aftershocks na sumunod duon sa malaking lindol kahapon na 8:03 ng umaga, around 5:50 yung orasay  magnitude of 5.2. As of now, meron pa tayong narecord na aftershocks,” ani Torevillas.

Batay sa pagsusuri ng PDRRMC, 16 na bahay ang napinsala ng lindol sa tatlong bayan, 25 silid-aralan naman sa 19 na elementary at high schools ang nasira.

Aabot sa P23 milyon ang tinatayang halaga ng napinsalang mga kalsada, tulay at mga gusali. – RRD (mula sa ulat ni Correspondent Gerry Galicia)

MANILA, Philippines – Patuloy na nakararanas ng malalakas na aftershocks ang bayan ng Cataingan sa Masbate matapos itong yanigin ng Magnitude 6.6 na lindol kaninang umaga.

Batay sa ulat ng Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS), higit 46 na aftershocks na nasa magnitude 2 hanggang 4 ang lakas ang nararanasan sa Cataingan mula nang tumama ang malakas na lindol kaninang 8:03 ng umaga.

May lalim na dalawampu’t isang kilometro ang lindol na tectonic ang origin.

Intensity 7 ang naramdaman sa nasabing bayan. Naramdaman rin ang lindol sa iba pang lugar sa Masbate gaya sa munisipyo ng Pio V. Corpus, Palanas, Placer at Uson.

Sampu ang napaulat na nasugatan sa bayan ng Palanas, dalawa sa Pio V. Corpus at isa naman sa Uson.

May mga napaulat ring nasugatan sa pagbagsak ng Cataingan Old at New Market.

Sa lakas ng pagyanig, ilang gusali ang nasira sa bayan habang nagkaroon naman ng mga bitak ang Cataingan Astrodome at Cataingan Memorial Colleges na pansamantalang ginagamit bilang quarantine facility.

Ayon kay Nonielon Clemente Bagalihog, ang Public Information Officer ng Masbate Province, higit 100 locally-stranded individuals (LSI) na sumisilong sa naturang pasilidad ay inilipat muna sa Cataingan National High School at Potenciano Abejero Elementary School.

“May mga LSI na nakaquarantine ngayon sa Cataingan Astrodome at nagkaroon ng mga cracks sa mga walls ay minabuti muna nating ilipat ang LSI duon sa i mean ang nagkaroon ng damages ay yung Cataingan astrodome at Cataingan memorial colleges so the LGU Cataingan decided to relocate them,” ani Bagalihog.

Nagtamo rin ng pinsala ang Cataingan District Hospital ngunit ligtas naman ang mga pasyente na pansamantalang inilipat sa ibang kuwarto na hindi naapektuhan ng lindol.

Sa ngayon ay patuloy pang inaalam ng mga otoridad ang halaga ng pinsala ng lindol sa mga ari-arian. Sinusuri na rin ang mga gusali kung ligtas pa itong okupahin. – RRD (mula sa ulat ni Correspondent Gerry Galicia)