The Philippine Office of Civil Defence (OCD) on Wednesday verified\nreports of 45 fatalities from the 7.8-magnitude earthquake that struck\nMaasim, Sarangani, and several other provinces on Monday.<\/p>\n
OCD Deputy Administrator for Administration Bernardo Rafaelito\nAlejandro IV, during an interview with DZMM, explained the fatalities\ncame from the Davao and Soccsksargen regions. According to him, 18\nfatalities were reported in Sarangani, 15 in South Cotabato, 11 in Davao\nOccidental, and one in Davao del Sur. He also stated they are validating\nreports concerning 17 missing persons; 13 in Davao Occidental and four\nin General Santos City.<\/p>\n
The agency also recorded 630 people reported injured. Alejandro\nclarified that number is still being validated and may change.<\/p>\n
The Philippine National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management\nCouncil (NDRRMC) reported that 33,596 families, or 149,372 people,\nspread across the Zamboanga Peninsula, Davao Region, Soccsksargen, and\nthe Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Mindanao have been affected by the\ndisaster. A total of 8,813 families, or 32,464 people, are receiving\nassistance in 57 evacuation centres, whilst another 1,804 families, or\n8,973 people, are receiving assistance outside evacuation centres. Other\naffected residents have sought refuge with relatives.<\/p>\n
The NDRRMC explained that 2,499 houses sustained partial damage, and\n495 houses were totally destroyed. The damage was recorded across the\nZamboanga Peninsula, Davao Region, and Soccsksargen.<\/p>\n
Military assists in search and rescue<\/p>\n
The Philippine Army deployed an urban search and rescue (USAR) team\ncomprising 18 personnel to General Santos City, as search and rescue\nefforts by several government agencies intensify in the\nearthquake-affected areas. Philippine Army Spokesperson Colonel Louie\nDema-ala said the 10th Infantry Division has deployed 200 personnel to\nGeneral Santos City, the area hardest hit by infrastructure damage. The\nhumanitarian assistance and disaster response (HADR) teams came from one\nplatoon of the 10th Emergency Response Company, three platoons from Task\nForce Gensan, one platoon from the 1002nd Infantry Brigade, and one\ncompany from the 28th Infantry Battalion.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, the 6th Infantry Division deployed 53 personnel from 12\nHADR teams drawn from the 105th Infantry Battalion and the 37th Infantry\nBattalion to General Santos City; Maitum, Kiamba, and Maasim in\nSarangani; and Lebak in Sultan Kudarat. Several support vehicles were\nalso deployed, including eight KM-250 trucks, five KM-450 trucks, two\npatrol vehicles, and three motorcycles. Additionally, 530 personnel from\n53 HADR teams of the 10th Infantry Division and 77 personnel from nine\nHADR teams of the 6th Infantry Division are on standby, along with 56\nmilitary trucks and one patrol car.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Philippine Army is working closely with national government\nagencies and local government units to ensure a swift and coordinated\nresponse to the destructive earthquakes in the region,\u201d said\nDema-ala.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/philippines-verifies-earthquake-casualties-45-dead-630-injured-1781082148", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }