Death toll from Mindanao tremor rises to 7

December 17, 2019

The death toll due to the effect of magnitude 6.9 earthquake that hit the province of Davao del Sur reached seven, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said on Tuesday.

As of Tuesday, the NDRRMC failed to give further details about the fatalities but it confirmed that three of them were from Padada, while the others were from Matanao, Magsaysay, Hagonoy, and Bansalan.

It also recorded 86 persons injured - five were from Bansalan, 35 from Digos, three from Hagonoy, one from Kiblawan, 14 from Magsaysay, four from Matanao, and 24 from Padada.

Some 90 buildings were also damaged because of the tremor, of which 33 were destroyed and 57 others were partially damaged.

A total of 199 houses were also damaged by the quake, of which 74 were destroyed and 125 others were partially damaged.

The number of the affected population in Davao region also reached 1,951 families or 9,755 persons, of which 1,913 families or 9,565 persons were displaced because of the earthquake.

NDRRMC spokesman Mark Timbal said that as of Tuesday, the government authorities are continuously conducting the search, rescue, and retrieval operations for the victims who were possibly trapped inside the Southern Trade Commercial Store that collapsed in Padada, Davao del Sur.

"To further intensify the search and rescue efforts in Padada, additional rescue teams from NCR (National Capital Region) with appropriate life detection equipment and K9 elements were coordinated for immediate deployment," he said.

Timbal said that over 300 personnel from various national and local agencies have been helping in the search and rescue operation.

He said the NDRRMC still failed to determine the number of victims who are still possibly trapped at the commercial building. Robina Asido/DMS