ILOILO CITY -- Two successive quakes of tectonic origin jolted Iloilo City, Antique and Guimaras all of Western Visayas, before 8 a.m. Monday.
A magnitude 4.7 earthquake rocked San Jose, Antique at 7:45 a.m. with a depth of eight kilometers followed with a magnitude 4 quake at 7:46 a.m. in Sibunag, Guimaras, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said.
Donna Magno, head of the Iloilo City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO) said employees and students of several schools and offices sought safer grounds after they felt the shaking.
They returned to their respective places after their building and offices were declared safe by their administrator.
Magno said they are still confirming reports that cracks have appeared at the new Special Science Class building of the Baluarte Elementary School.
She said they have already coordinated with the Department of Education (DepEd) for the inspection of the school.
Phivolcs recorded intensities 3 and 4 in Iloilo City for the two earthquakes.
Intensity is what was felt during the earthquake while the magnitude is the energy that was released from the origin of the quake.
Magno said that they can never tell how prepared Iloilo City is for earthquakes. However, they have been doing their best to prepare this highly-urbanized city for any eventuality.
“We have been doing our best to educate people,” she said.
She said that two weeks ago, several personnel of the city government underwent a rapid earthquake damage assessment system (Redas) that could help “plot areas that are exposed to earthquakes.”
“Aside from that we have continued earthquake drills. We have been receiving requests from offices and schools for disaster preparedness activities such as earthquake drills,” she added. (PNA)