No immediate casualties, but damage “appears to be big”: Batangas governor

April 8, 2017

No casualties have been recorded in the two earthquakes that rattled Batangas province Saturday, officials said. In a text message from Batangas Governor Hermilando Mandanas to Daily Manila Shimbun, said: :We haven’t received reports of casualties. Thank God, there are no reports of serious physical injuries. but the damage appears to be big “ Romina Marasigan, spokesperson of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, said in a radio interview,  there are some areas in Mabini town, which was struck by an Intensity 7 quake, where there were “minor landslides”. Some areas in Batangas City and Kawit Cavite were experiencing power outage, said Marasigan. She added that windows of some firms in Batangas City were damaged because of the quake. Two quakes occurred in Batangas City, the strongest being a magnitude 6 where intensity 7 was reported in Mabini town and Intensity 6 in Calatagan, Nasugbu and Tingloy, the epicenter in last Tuesday’s 5.4 magnitude quake. Mandanas had estimated damage from Tuesday’s quake at P16 million. In a statement, Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella urged people “to stay calm and yet remain vigilant and alert.” “Let us not forward information from unverified sources that may cause undue alarm Disaster officials are now assessing the situation and will be giving updates to the public as more information about the Saturday earthquake becomes available,” added Abella. (Robina Asido, Celerina Monte/DMS)