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On 22 April, at 5:15 p.m., a magnitude-6.1 earthquake occurred in northern Philippines, with the epicenter located near Castillejos, Zambales, according to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS). The earthquake was tectonic in origin with a depth of 10 km.
Damage and casualties are being reported in the Central Luzon region, which is one of the most seismically active areas in the Philippines due to the presence of the Philippine fault, Iba fault, East Zambales fault, and the Manila Trench, according to PHIVOLCS. The province of Pampanga in the region is the most affected, with 15 fatalities and over 60 damaged homes. The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) reports that three people died in the town of Lubao and Angeles City, while in Porac, seven people were killed by falling debris and five people died from a supermarket collapsing. As round-the-clock search and rescue efforts continue, twenty people have been pulled alive from the rubble of the supermarket while four people remain missing. Parts of the Clark International Airport in Pampanga collapsed, injuring seven. Operations have been suspended and flights are cancelled as safety checks continue to be conducted, and passengers are given the option to rebook or reroute their flights to Ninoy Aquino International Airport, which was not damaged.
Elsewhere, local eyewitnesses report large cracks in the Subic-Clark-Tarlac expressway, a major highway between Clark, Pampanga and Subic, Zambales. In Zambales, an earthquake-induced landslide was reported in the municipality of San Marcelino, which killed a six-year old boy. Residents in the area were evacuated and local authorities provided relief assistance to 120 families. The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) reports that over 1,300 people are currently staying in four evacuation centres in Pampanga and Zambales.
The earthquake was also felt strongly in densely populated cities in Metro Manila, with reports of people evacuating from schools, hospitals, offices and high-rise buildings. The Department of Transportation temporarily suspended operations of the Metro Rail Transit and Philippine National Railways, unloading passengers immediately after the earthquake and leaving many stranded during the evening rush hour. The earthquake also caused power interruptions in Pangasinan, La Union which have since been restored, while parts of Pampanga and Bataan remain without electricity.
Several schools and government offices in Zambales, Pampanga, Nueva Ecija and parts of Metro Manila are suspended on 23 April, pending safety checks of buildings affected by the earthquake. PHIVOLCS is advising that aftershocks and damage are to be expected, recording over 420 aftershocks a day after the main earthquake.
On 23 April at 1:37 p.m. a 6.5-magnitude earthquake at a depth of 63 km occurred in San Julian, Eastern Samar in the Eastern Visayas region. Local authorities have begun assessing the affected areas for damages.
Government and humanitarian response
The national government is leading the response, assisted by the Philippine Red Cross. The NDRRMC, Office of Civil Defense, Philippine National Police and local authorities are providing assistance and have deployed medical and search and rescue teams to affected municipalities. The Metro Manila Development Authority and police authorities deployed buses and trucks to provide free rides to stranded passengers. National and local search-and-rescue teams were deployed to Porac, Pampanga to assist with the rescue of those trapped by the supermarket collapse. DSWD has provided nearly PhP190,000 (US$3,600) worth of assistance to affected families in Pampanga.
The Philippine Red Cross staff and volunteers are assisting with rescue operations and provided ambulances, rescue equipment and generators to those affected by the earthquake. Members of the private sector-funded Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation provided food and medical assistance, generators and helicopters to assist with search and rescue efforts. | |
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