SURIGAO CITY (MindaNews/5 Sept) – Last Friday’s earthquake caused P18-million worth of damages to public and private infrastructures here, the City Engineering Office bared this Tuesday after conducting assessments.
Among the damaged privately owned buildings was Copra Land, a warehouse located in Barangay Luna near the cockpit arena, according to a report by city engineer Gil Rufino C. Menor.
The warehouse owned by Evaristo Tiu sustained a damage estimated at P3.5 million.
Absolute Essential, a seven-storey commercial center located at Rizal corner Amat Streets, sustained cracks on the walls, with damages reaching P2 million.
“Mostly plastered cements on the wall fell down on the roadside as a result of Friday’s strong jolt,” Menor told MindaNews at his office Wednesday afternoon.
Menor said the Gaisano Capital located at Barangay Luna suffered an estimated damage of P1 million after the flooring and the walls were damaged.
Menor said the UniCity store located along San Nicolas Street also sustained a damage of P500,000 after the ceiling at the second floor fell down.
Buildings that suffered minor damages were Barton’s Bed located at Ceniza Heights, P200,000; Saint Paul University and Gateway Hotel both in Barangay Luna, P50,000 a piece.
Menor recommended that these establishments hire a structural engineer to see if their buildings still have structural integrity and submit a report for authorities to know if these buildings would still be suitable to use.
He said the city engineering office has no structural engineer.
On the government properties, Menor’s office estimated the damage at P9.7 million.
Engr. Jose Francisco C. Ensomo, head of the Construction and Maintenance Department, said that these estimates were still initial.
He said this amount may increase as their team continues to assess other government infrastructures in 21 island villages.
Meanwhile, 14 city government buildings were reported as damaged, with seven of these sustaining P1 million in damage each. These were the city legislative building, city gymnasium, city hall, new city government building, public market and the integrated bus and jeepney terminal and the Cantiasay-San Pedro footbridge.
Others damaged were the city health building, city engineering building, PNP Building, crisis center, Maharlika Annex, slaughter house, Livelihood Training and Productivity Center and General Services Office Building. (Roel N. Catoto / MindaNews)