DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 17 November) – A total of 174 individuals residing around the construction site of the high-rise condominium tower The Paragon Davao of Cebu Landmasters were advised to vacate after a crane collapsed following a magnitude 7.2 earthquake.
Capt. Hazel Tuazon, spokesperson for Davao City Police Office, said in a report that residents were immediately advised to leave their homes for safety reasons.
She said some of the displaced residents are now taking shelter at a nearby gymnasium in Barangay 76-A.
She said the crane that was placed on the rooftop of the condominium tower, which is currently under construction, swayed during the tremor.
She said the heavy equipment’s counterweight collapsed and then fell on the ground floor.
She said no casualty was reported in the incident while the cost of damage on the building has yet to be determined.
She said some fallen debris partially damaged the house of 77-year-old Rogelio Castro Bontardo.
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said the epicenter of the earthquake was estimated at 30 kilometers southwest of Sarangani Davao Occidental.
Phivolcs said damages are expected and cautioned the public about possible aftershocks.
The agency said there is no tsunami threat due to the earthquake but added that “earthquakes of this size may generate unusual sea level disturbances that may be observed along coasts near the earthquake epicenter of Davao Occidental.”
“No destructive tsunami threat exists based on available sea-level data. This is for information purposes only and there is no tsunami threat to the Philippines from this earthquake,” it said. (Antonio L. Colina IV/MindaNews)
