THE death toll in the magnitude 6.9 earthquake in Davao Region has climbed to nine as of Wednesday night, December 18, the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (RDRRMC) Davao said.
Based on the report of RDRRMC, which is headed by the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) Davao, the casualties are from municipalities of Magsaysay, Sulop, Padada, Matanao, and Bansalan of Davao del Sur and Malita, Davao Occidental.
The fatalities were identified as Fernando Balitayo, 63, of Barangay Dalawinon, Magsaysay who died of cardiac arrest; Elsa A. Ababon, 40, from Padada; Evangeline T. Artiaga, of Tanublang, Sulop, Davao del Sur; and Emily G. Beloy, of Mckinley, Sulop, Davao del Sur. They were found dead after they failed to flee from the collapsed Southern Trade Shopping Center in Padada, Davao del Sur.
The strong tremor also claimed the lives of Chervel Chine Gador, 6, from Asinan, Matanao, Davao del Sur; Elias Degamon from New Clarin, Bansalan, Davao del Sur; and Romeo Sulop, 10, from Manuel Peralta, Malita, Davao Occidental who was hit by an uprooted tree.
Also dead are Carlito Ebon, 71, from Purok 3, Balutakay, Hagonoy, who died due to stroke/cardiac arrest; and Juanita Hiwasa, 68, from Purok Kitong Dawis, Digos City who perished because of heart failure following the earthquake.
Aside from the fatalities, a total of 132 injured individuals have been reported. They are from the municipalities of Magsaysay, Padada, Hagonoy, Sulop, Bansalan, Matanao, Kiblawan and Digos City of Davao Del Sur and Sta. Maria, Davao Occidental. Some of the injured victims were rushed to different medical facilities for treatment.
There are also a total of 3,288 families or 16,053 individuals who are staying in 25 evacuation centers located in Digos City, Bansalan, Hagonoy, Kiblawan, Matanao, and Padada.
Meanwhile, the Department of Social Welfare and Development-Davao has provided a total of P7,549,647.17 worth of food and non-food items to the affected families in Davao del Sur.