DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 29 Oct) – A magnitude 6.6 earthquake rocked North Cotabato anew, 13 days after the magnitude 6.3 temblor. Epicenters of both strong quakes were in the municipality of Tulunan.
PHIVOLCS said it was of tectonic origin with a depth of focus of 7 kms. It added it was expecting damage and aftershocks.
PHIVOLCS, in bulletin issued minutes after the 9:04 a.m. quake, pegged the epicenter’s location at “06.92°N, 125.05°E – 026 km N 73° E of Tulunan (Cotabato),” which falls somewhere in Makilala, North Cotabato. But in its second notice released a little past 10 a.m., PHIVOLCS changed location to 06.78°N, 125.04°E, or somewhere in Tulunan.
The Oct. 16 quake, on the other hand, was at 06.76°N, 125.01°E, also in Tulunan, also in North Cotabato.
PHIVOLCS said it was felt as Intensity VII in Tulunan and Makilala and in Kidapawan City in North Cotabato, and in Malungon, Sarangani province. It was Intensity VI in Davao City, Koronadal City and Cagayan de Oro City. It was felt in most of Mindanao, even in faraway Camiguin Island at Intensity I.
Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte has ordered a suspension of classes in public and private schools from kindergarten to post-graduate studies here.
Duterte said in a statement that the strong quake might have caused structural and electrical damage to buildings and houses.
She directed the schools to check the structures within their campuses to see if there had been buildings damaged due to earthquake.
“All school owners, teachers, and other school personnel are hereby instructed to subject school structures to a safety inspection with a qualified engineer immediately,” Duterte said.
She told the schools to immediately condemn the facilities and prevent the students from using them should they find any building defects that are dangerous and need repair.
She said suspension of classes on Wednesday would be on a case-to-case basis and would depend on the individual schools if needed. (Antonio L. Colina IV / MindaNews)
