Local News: Strong Negros Tremor Sends People to Panic

Workers from various offices and commercial establishments at the Plaza Mart get hold of each other after they scampered out to the streets of San Juan as earthquake shook the building for more than 10 seconds.*(Owen S. Bayog/NDB photo)

A relatively strong earthquake rocked possibly the whole province yesterday towards noon, at around 12:00, sending office workers and schoolchildren scrambling out of buildings in panic at the temblor which ensued only after several years of calm.

In Bacolod City, the main Gaisano City building sported a crack on its wall, a boy was reported to have died after the concrete wall of a fence fell on him while the room of a school-building on top of a hill in Barangay Quintin Remo partially collapsed, while another room was also on the verge of collapsing.

SM Megamall and Robinsons momentarily closed down but reopened soon after. The employees of Gaisano in downtown Bacolod went home in panic.

Armand Lim, a Gaisano mall manager in downtown Bacolod, however said except for some things which were dislocated, the mall did not suffer any damage in its buildings. No walls cracked.

In Bacolod City, Mayor Evelio Leonardia has declared a suspension of work and classes for the meantime.

Supt. Calixto Mabugat in Kabankalan City, Southern Negros Occidental, has clarified that no such damage as buildings or structures collapsing has taken place. This is because, rumors of large-scale damages have not ensued.

But in Northern Negros rumors have been sweeping Cadiz City saying there would be big aftershocks. There would also be tsunamis but the province’s Disaster Risk Management Unit debunked the onset of tsunamis, saying only that if there were increases in water levels this did not indicate tsunamis.

In terms of alert levels 3, 4 and 5 there were big quakes and people are advised to evacuate their places, a PDMT personnel said. Hinoba-an and Sipalay in far Southern Negros would be in danger of experiencing tsunamis. But at 3pm, disaster czar Benito Ramos phoned DYEZ saying they have even Red Alert Level 2. The office’s phone keeps on ringing with callers from people who kept on asking about the quake.

The province has been placed on alert level 2 or minor sea level changes yet.

There was still a need to carefully observe the situation.

In nearby Iloilo, National Disaster honcho Benito Ramos said electricity was shut off in the island.

Hit by the earthquake was Negros and Cebu provinces. There was a movement of template, Ramos said. There were temblors in provinces of the Visayas and Mindanao, Ramos said.
The Cadiz City hall closed with employees going home on concerns that something would happen to those left at home.

In San Carlos City, residents fled to nearby elevated areas especially on the area going to Don Salvador Benedicto.

There were several structures and a bridge which collapsed in nearby Guihulngan, Negros Oriental.

In Guihulngan, too, which is near San Carlos City, a bridge collapsed. The bridge was dislocated. Almost a one-fifth portion was damaged and big trucks cannot pass through. About ten meters were damaged.

Because of the damage, big trucks such as that of Ceres Bus Company, could not cross the bridge, a certain Nap, a caller over radio station DYEZ, related what transpired in Guihulngan during the earthquake.

The caller said because of the force of the earthquake which, in Negros Occidental was 6.9 on the Richter scale, he thought he would not make it.

Nap was taking lunch near the Mormon Church in Guihulngan when the temblor struck.

He then proceeded to San Carlos City which is nearby.

In another report, Marilou Alangilan, from Brgy. Buena-vista in Guihulngan City fled to the nearby mountains. Houses, especially concrete were damaged. She could not estimate how many houses were damaged. Many were partially destroyed. In Sitio Moog, 60 families evacuated because of the landslide. Part of the mountain in Sitio Moog moved.
In Guihulngan City, aftershocks followed the main quake.

The city practically stood at a standstill with people in panic. The public market collapsed in the middle, said Marilou Alangilan.

As Alangilan spoke, another aftershock followed. She said on the air that people panicked. Aftershocks kept on occurring in Guihulngan City.

Most people stayed outdoors. A child died in uihulngan, said Alangilan. It is possible the earth in some areas around Guihulngan City collapsed, she said.

Many people suffered injuries, said Alangilan. She is staying in Brgy. Buenavista for three or five kilometers away from the Poblacion.

In Brgy. Palanas, it cracked into two. Many injured are in the hospital.

Others were brought to Dumaguete City. She said a certain Manzano was brought to the hospital.

Residents from downtown Guihulngan have fled to Brgy. Buenavista where she stays. She saw Brgy. Palanas collapsed from a clinic in Brgy. Buenavista.

She tagged the quake as “grave or serious.” The first quake struck for more than six seconds.

The quake’s epicenter was in Dumaguete City in Negros Oriental.

But a broadcaster of DYEZ called up that he did not hear of injuries inflicted by the quake on people yet. Callers reported roads and highways showing cracks in San Carlos City.
Philippine Coast Guard Commander Jun Senador said the tsunami Alert level 2 continued. But Ramos said later, it was lifted. The Coast Guard is monitoring the Western portion of Negros Occidental. The national Coast Guard headquarters is coordinating with PDMT, local LGUs and the Philippine Army. They are monitoring if there are abrupt changes in the area.

After the tsunami alert was raised, they received a directive to stop all ships and boats from sailing on the high seas.

Once next day there is an order from higher headquarters, they will lift the suspension order. They do not have enough lifesaving equipment once the tsunami strikes.
Almost all cities and towns have suspended classes yesterday.

Bacolod lone district solon, Dr. Anthony Golez said “The 6.9 on the Richter scale earthquake has brought fear to many residents especially to children who have not experienced while it is all about at 6.7 magnitude, we expect it to cause a lot of damage to buildings especially the older ones.

“It is very crucial that the City Engineer’s Office must check on the structural integrity of all buildings most especially the school buildings, old government structures, barangay multi-purpose hall and others to mitigate potential destabilization of these structures. It is a challenge to the city government to conduct a structures integrity survey of all buildings.

“I also enjoin the DPWH as well as the Philippine Institute of Civil Engineers and the different structural engineers’ associations to assist the city in whatever way in order to keep our people safe from harm,” said Golez.*