The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said the number of families affected by Wednesday’s magnitude 7 earthquake that rocked Abra and nearby Northern Luzon provinces has climbed to 4,969 or around 20,000 individuals.
Department of National Defense (DND) officer-in-charge Undersecretary Jose Faustino Jr. Said that based on “reports coming in from the affected region, a total 4,969 families or 20,000 persons more or less have affected in 110 barangays in Region 1 (Ilocos) and Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR).”
Faustino, who also chairs the NDRRMC, said around 2,312 families in Ilocos Region and CAR are now sheltered in 31 evacuation centers while another 413 in the two regions are sheltered with their families and friends.
Office of Civil Defense (OCD) Assistant Secretary Bernardo Rafaelito Alejandro IV said there are five deaths and some 131 reportedly injured.
Alejandro said some 61 schools were damages in Ilocos Sur, aside from three bridges. Tentative dame to infrastructure is estimated at P33.8 million in Ilocos Region alone. He said concerned agencies and regional offices are still gathering reports on the damage to agriculture and other assets.
Alejandro said the NDRRMC has directed its response cluster to monitor the situation and provide assistance as needed and account all actions taken. He added that responses are managed at local and regional levels with support from outside regions local government units and other national government agencies.
