Following 5.8 magnitude
TACLOBAN CITY – The Office of Civil Defense (OCD) has instructed the local government unit (LGU) of San Francisco, Southern Leyte, to classify all houses damaged by the 5.8 magnitude earthquake that struck the municipality on January 23.
“We instructed them to classify the damaged houses,” OCD-8 Regional Director Lord Byron Torrecarion said following an aerial assessment and meetings with local officials of earthquake-affected towns in Southern Leyte.
Torrecarion emphasized the need for a detailed assessment to ensure that assistance is provided appropriately. “We want to extend assistance in terms of housing materials, but we need them to categorize which houses have minor cracks and which ones require substantial materials for repairs,” he explained.
During his meeting with the mayors of affected towns, Torrecarion shared that personnel from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Southern Leyte Second District Engineering Office will assist LGUs in assessing damaged houses.
Based on reports submitted by the LGUs, at least seven houses were completely destroyed, while 253 were partially damaged. Of these, over 190 partially damaged houses are in San Francisco, which was the epicenter of the quake.
The OCD is prepared to provide assistance in the form of fiber cement boards and roofing materials. “Each affected household will receive an allocation of 10 fiberboards and an equivalent quantity of roofing materials,” Torrecarion said.
Torrecarion also instructed the local chief executive of San Francisco to submit a proposal for the repair of the town’s water system, which was damaged by the earthquake.
San Francisco Mayor Benedicta Tiaozon previously reported that the damage to their municipal water system had disrupted access to potable drinking water for residents.
As an immediate response, the OCD will send bottled drinking water to the municipality to address the urgent need for safe drinking water.
This assistance forms part of the OCD’s commitment to help affected communities recover from the impacts of the earthquake.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA)
