Quake-hit Surigao residents start to go home

Residents who were evacuated following the magnitude 6.7 earthquake that struck Surigao City last Friday have started going back to their respective homes, GMA News’ Vonne Aquino said in an Unang Balita report on Tuesday.

They, however, will continue to receive relief goods through their barangays, said Elmer Tecson, acting chief of the Surigao City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office.

“Kung wala na silang mga bahay, ang barangay ang maglalagay sa kanila sa kanilang sariling evacuation center,” Tecson said in the report.

Although they were finally allowed to go back home, residents are still bogged with problems brought about by the earthquake.

One is the sudden increase in the price of fish in the Surigao Public Market by P10 to P20, the report said.

Brenda Nazareno, a fish vendor, attributed the price increase to the lack of supply of fish in the market.

“Kasi ‘yung mga mangingisda, takot pumalaot. Siyempre ayaw din nilang iwan ang pamilya nila dahil may mga paglindol pa,” Nazareno said.

Aside from this, there is still a shortage of water supply in several barangays, the report said.

“Mahirap ang walang tubig. Wala kaming mainom kaya ‘yung mag-ina ko dinala ko sa ibang lugar,” Jojo Maglunsod, a resident said.

In a News To Go interview on Monday, Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) chief Renato Solidum said aftershocks may still be experienced in Surigao del Norte and other nearby areas for weeks.

“Posible itong magtagal ng mga araw hanggang mga linggo. Minsan buwan 'yan. Ang bilang ng mga aftershocks ay bababa with time pero sa mga first three days ay marami-rami pa,” Solidum said. —Erwin Colcol/KG, GMA News