DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 7 September) – No major damage on public and private infrastructure has been reported after a Magnitude 4.8 earthquake shook Davao City at 3:51 p.m. on Wednesday, an official of the City Disaster and Risk Reduction Management Office (CDRRMO) reported on Thursday.
CDRRMO chief Alfredo Baloran said in an interview over Davao City Disaster Radio (DCDR 87.5) that some public infrastructures like school buildings suffered “hairline cracks” following the earthquake.
On Thursday morning, the University of the Philippines-Mindanao announced that work and classes will be conducted online to give way to building inspections.
Baloran said that structural engineers from the City Engineer’s Office were dispatched Thursday morning to assess the hairline cracks in public schools and other infrastructures.
He said that no one was reported injured from the earthquake, except for a number of students who panicked and fainted due to the sudden ground shaking.
Franz N. Irag, chief for operations of the Office of Civil Defense (OCD-Davao), citing initial reports as of 8:09 p.m. Wednesday, said that there were at least 41 students who fainted and 13 houses partially damaged.
He said that a little damage was seen at some buildings of the Calinan National High School.
Irag added the OCD-Davao is coordinating with the Department of Education-Davao to assess the impact of the temblor to public schools in the region.
In a Viber message, Irag told MindaNews that the OCD-Davao will release a copy of the assessment report once the CDRRMO validates it. (Antonio L. Colina IV / MindaNews)
