The Office of Civil Defense (OCD) on Friday afternoon raised the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Operations Center (NDRRMOC)’s alert status to BLUE to closely coordinate, consolidate, and report all related incidents as well as to ensure prompt coordination with concerned agencies and offices, following the Magnitude 6.8 earthquake that hit Sarangani province 4:14 PM today.
“Civil Defense officials at the national and regional level are closely monitoring the progress of the operations, coordinating with the local government unit disaster managers. We have placed the NDRRM Operations Center under BLUE Alert, requiring the AFP, PNP, PCG, and BFP to render duty to support response activities.” said Civil Defense Administrator, Undersecretary Ariel Nepomuceno.
“We want to assure the residents of affected areas that, as instructed by President Marcos Jr and Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr, the national government is on board and ready to provide necessary assistance.” Usec Nepomuceno added.
As of writing, reported impacts of the earthquake include power outage in General Santos and Lebak, Sultan Kudarat, one (1) damaged school and damaged houses in Sarangani, Davao Occidental.
A report of one dead person in Barangay Butuan, Jose Abad Santos, Davao Occidental is still being validated as of this time.
The NDRRMOC earlier disseminated an Emergency Alert and Warning Message (EAWM) to the provinces of Davao Occidental, Davao del Sur, Sarangani, South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, and Cotabato to advise the communities to take precautionary measures.
Meanwhile, according to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS), no tsunami threat exists, based on available sea-level data.
