Here is the rewritten content without additional comments:
KORONADAL CITY (MindaNews / 30 January) – The continuing earthquakes that rattled and triggered preemptive evacuations in the coastal areas of Sultan Kudarat province have affected at least 13,192 families or 59,185 individuals, according to the latest data from the Department of Social Welfare and Development – Region 12 (DSWD-12).
Dennis Domingo, DSWD-12 information officer, said the affected families came from 31 villages in the towns of Kalamansig, Lebak, and Palimbang (Kalepa) in Sultan Kudarat. He added that the DSWD-12 also recorded affected residents from the nearby coastal town of Datu Blah Sinsuat, Maguindanao del Norte, which is part of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.
These towns were among those badly hit by the Magnitude 8.1 earthquake that triggered a tsunami 50 years ago, on August 17, 1976. The 1976 quake, which originated beneath the Moro Gulf, spawned a tsunami that affected 700 kilometers of coastline, leaving 8,000 dead or missing, around 10,000 injured, and 90,000 homeless, according to a report by Victor L. Badillo and Zinnia C. Astilla of the Manila Observatory.
As of January 29, the DSWD has recorded 5,429 families or 22,386 individuals seeking refuge inside 34 evacuation centers in the affected towns. At least 1,156 families or 3,764 individuals have been staying outside evacuation centers.
Based on DSWD-12 data, at least 11,081 family food packs (FFP) costing P10,859,380 (P980 per FFP) have been distributed to affected families. The agency also provided 1,000 ready-to-eat foods (RTEF) amounting to P968,000 (P968 per RTEF). Additionally, the DSWD-12 distributed family and modular tents, plastic mats, laminated sacks, and jerry cans to affected residents, with total assistance reaching P12,516,854 so far.
The DSWD-12 activated its quick response teams following Wednesday’s Magnitude 5.4 quake at 1:05 a.m., which was followed by intermittent tremors. The provincial government suspended classes and work in government offices that day, extending the suspension until Thursday. The neighboring coastal towns of Kalamansig and Lebak also ordered preemptive evacuations of residents living in shoreline barangays.
Sultan Kudarat Gov. Datu Pax Ali Mangudadatu extended the suspension of classes and work until Friday due to ongoing tremors. He directed the suspension of classes in all levels across the province and halted work for government offices in the Kalepa area, except for frontline services like emergency responders and health workers. In other parts of the province, blended work-from-home and on-site arrangements were implemented.
As of 8 a.m. Friday, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology recorded 2,640 quakes offshore Kalamansig town, with 792 plotted by monitoring stations, of which 91 were felt. The recorded magnitudes ranged from 1.3 to 5.9. (Bong S. Sarmiento / MindaNews)
