AMIDST two earthquakes that shook the province, Davao de Oro Governor Dorothy Montejo-Gonzaga issued a memorandum order on October 20, 2023, suspending classes at all levels in both public and private schools. The decision was prompted by the occurrence of earthquakes with magnitudes of 6.2 and 5.9 at New Bataan around 2:59 a.m.
Gonzaga emphasized in the memorandum that other government agencies in the province should prioritize the safety of their personnel and are encouraged to conduct structural integrity assessments in coordination with their respective Local Government Units (LGUs).
“Other government agencies within the Province of Davao de Oro must ensure the safety of your personnel and are also encouraged to conduct structural integrity assessment in coordination with your respective LGUs (Local Government Units),” Gonzaga wrote in the memorandum.
The suspension, effective from October 20 onwards, will remain in force until further notice or until Gonzaga lifts the suspension after completion of structural integrity assessments on buildings.
A post by the Davao de Oro Philippine Information Agency (PIA) showed items scattered on the floor of a grocery store in Maragusan during the earthquake.
Meanwhile, the City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (CDRRMO) of the City of Mati conducted assessments on various public and private buildings with previous quake-related concerns.
The Talian-Langgawisan road is currently undergoing clearance by the Municipal Engineering Office of the Local Government Unit of Maragusan due to a landslide following the recent earthquake. As of 2:30 p.m., the road remains closed to traffic.
According to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs), the earthquake with a magnitude of 6.2, which occurred at approximately 2:58 a.m. on October 20, had a depth of 5km and an intensity of 4. The subsequent magnitude 5.9 earthquake had a depth of 13 km and an intensity of 4. RGP