Civil Defense: No death in Bukidnon quake

CAGAYAN DE ORO -- The Office of Civil Defense (OCD) clarified Wednesday that no one died in the 5.6-magnitude earthquake that hit Bukidnon province on Tuesday dawn.

OCD Regional Director Ana Cañeda said the death reported on television and radio is not related to the tremor.

Cañeda said Rey Bacay, 60, a resident of Barangay Guinuyuran in Valencia City, suffered from stroke two years ago and was bedridden.

Bacay was a retired army and former employee of the City Government of Valencia City.

It was learned that Bacay died in the hospital where he was confined during the time when the earthquake occurred.

The OCD also confirmed that at least one person was injured during the tremor, identified as Sr. Angelina Comabig, 34, who was hit when the concrete wall of a relative’s house where she is staying collapsed.

At least 800 houses and establishments were reportedly destroyed during the earthquake.

In Barangay Kuya, Maramag town, 66 houses, nine classrooms and a church were damaged by the tremor while in Barangay Kisanday, also in the same town, at least 13 houses were destroyed.

In Valencia City, 144 houses were also damaged.

Tuesday’s tremor, which occurred at 3:44 a.m., was recorded by the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) at magnitude 5.6 with the epicenter located at 15 kilometers northwest of Maramag town.

The quake was felt in Musuan and Maramag at Intensity 5; Valencia City in Bukidnon and Arakan in North Cotabato at Intensity 4; Intensity 3 in Malaybalay City, Cagayan de Oro and Kidapawan in Cotabato; and Intensity 2 in Butuan and Cotabato cities.

At 3:52 a.m. Tuesday, Phivolcs also recorded another tremor with the epicenter at two kilometers southwest of Maramag in Bukidnon, which was felt in Musuan, Maramag and Valencia at Intensity 3 and Intensity 2 in Cagayan de Oro City.

As of 5 a.m. Wednesday, Phivolcs had recorded 316 aftershocks.

Phivolcs Regional Director Marcial Labininay said the aftershocks may occur for two weeks up to one month.

On Tuesday at 6:58 p.m., Phivolcs also recorded another earthquake. Labininay clarified it was not an aftershock.

“It was recorded at 3.9-magnitude and was not an aftershock but another earthquake with its epicenter located 49 kilometers southwest of Malaybalay City,” Labininay said.

Tuesday night’s tremor was felt in Valencia City and Maramag at Intensity 3 and Malaybalay City, Cagayan de Oro and some parts of Misamis Oriental at Intensity 2.

Labininay said the country’s earthquake generators have become active, which caused the series of tremors.

In Northern Mindanao, among the local faults that Phivolcs identified were in Tagoloan, Gingoog going to Bukidnon and in Cabanglasan.

Labininay identified the Tagoloan fault as the nearest to Cagayan de Oro. (Terry Betonio/Annabelle Ricalde/Abigail Malalis/Stephanie Berganio of Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro/Sunnex)