Airport operations in quake-hit areas remain normal — CAAP

The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) said that airports in areas affected by the magnitude 7 earthquake in Northern Luzon on Wednesday reported no damage to their facilities.

In a statement, CAAP said Northern Luzon airports in Area 1—Laoag, Vigan, Lingayen, Rosales, and San Fernando airports—and Area 2—Tuguegarao, Cauayan, Palanan, Bagabag, Basco, and Itbayat airports—reported no damage and have resumed passenger terminal and boarding operations.

Meanwhile, Baguio Airport is being monitored as some minor cracks in some facilities have been discovered, CAAP said.

The agency said assessments of the runway, apron, terminal building, and other offices have also been completed in Area 1 airports.

All airports under Area 3—Plaridel, Alabat, Jomalig, Baler, Iba, Mamburao, Pinamalayan, Calapan, Wasig, San Jose, Lubang, Marinduque, Romblon, Sangley, and Cabanatuan (off-airport facility)—reported no damage to their facilities as well, CAAP said.

“CAAP Operations Center and Airport Safety Officers are also continuously monitoring the status of the airports in view of possible aftershocks,” it said.

NAIA

The Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) reported that two runways of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) were declared safe for flight operations after no damage was seen on the pavements.

Inspection of the four NAIA Terminals likewise yielded good results, as no damage was noted, the MIAA said.

It said that no flights were affected by the earthquake.

“The MIAA Terminals and other buildings are equipped with accelerographs set at different thresholds based on the age and structural integrity of the edifice. The accelerographs recorded an Intensity IV earthquake at 0845H where an evacuation [was] not necessary,” it said.

“However, at the International Cargo Terminal where said device is set at a lower threshold, [it] registered a red alarm prompting [the] mandatory evacuation of its occupants who were later allowed to go back to their offices after the building was declared safe,” it added.

According to the MIAA, minimal disruption to cargo processing was inevitable as a result of the evacuation.

The MIAA said that its emergency teams are always ready to react to any eventuality guided by its well-established Airport Emergency Plan (AEP) procedures.

According to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS), the quake (earlier reported as magnitude 7.3) occurred at 8:43 a.m. and was located three kilometers northwest of Tayum, Abra.

It had a depth of 17 kilometers. —VBL, GMA News