By Rene Acosta & Bernadette D. Nicolas
NO less than President Duterte personally assured assistance to the residents of Batanes during a visit on Sunday, a day after two moderate earthquakes jolted the province, killing at least eight people and injuring at least 63 others.
“The Palace offers its deep condolences to the families of those who lost their loved ones during the earthquakes that hit Batanes. We send our sincerest prayers for the fast and speedy recovery of those who were injured,” Presidential Spokesman and Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador S. Panelo said in a statement on July 27.
“The national government has ordered all concerned departments to mobilize and render immediate assistance to those affected.”
Residents have been camping outside their homes or in temporary shelters put up or selected by the government. They continue to appeal for help as Itbayat continued to be rattled by aftershocks.
The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) stopped short from declaring that the two successive temblors displaced the whole municipality.
“I could not say that all were displaced, but so far, as per our latest count, 2,900-plus individuals were affected,” NDRRMC Spokesman Mark Timbal said.
An official report by the NDRRMC listed 911 families or 2, 963 individuals that were affected by the earthquakes. The first quake, with a 5.4 magnitude, struck at around 4:16 a.m. on Saturday and was followed by a 5.9 magnitude at 7:37 a.m.
The tremors also damaged at least 15 houses, two schools, two health centers and the belfry of the Roman Catholic Church in the municipality.
“As of now, since aftershocks are still being felt, we have advised residents from going inside structures since their houses might collapse while they were inside,” Timbal said. “But the residents have put up temporary shelters and additional assistance were en route.”
According to Timbal, the NDRRMC sent tents and other relief items via C-130 last Sunday.
Timbal added that while the government can still meet the required assistance of Itbayat and even the other areas which might be affected, they were already allowing the residents to appeal for help even from private groups.
Private organizations and provinces were also rushing aid to Batanes.
“We are not still lacking with assistance, the NDRRMC can still cope with it. But we have already allowed other groups to come in since they have presented to send in reliefs,” Timbal said.
The NDRRMC spokesman said that the damage in Itbayat is likely high to the point that some structures may be declared condemned. This, however, would still be up to the evaluation of local officials, he added.
“As we have seen in the picture, a lot of the houses are for condemnation because they really collapsed, their first floors gave way or the second floors collapsed into the first floors, things like that,” Timbal said.
Cabinet Secretary Karlo Alexei B. Nograles was quoted in a statement on Sunday they are advising against families from returning to their homes given the state of structures on the island and the possible damage that can be caused by aftershocks.
Nograles said tents, water, hygiene kits, and medicine will be provided by the government to these families while medical teams and mental health teams would also be deployed to the island town to assist its residents.
Image credits: (Office of Senator Christopher "Bong" Go Via AP, Office of Senator Christopher "Bong" Go Via AP