Quake-hit families in Ormoc can't stay in schools, temporarily live in tents

The kin of Juan Laurente is just one of the families staying in tents in Ormoc City after their homes were severely damaged by the magnitude 6.5 earthquake that struck the island of Leyte.

Aside from the burden of losing their house, Juan is also deeply-worried as his wife is still in the hospital after a wall fell on her.

"Masikip sa dibdib eh. Hindi ko masabi. Tiningnan ko 'yung bahay namin ngayon parang wala akong maisip anong simulan ko, anong unang trabahuhin. Ang isip ko nasa ospital lang muna. Para maayos ang asawa ko," Juan said in a report by JP Soriano on "24 Oras" on Saturday.

Despite the rainy season, the evacuees are staying in tents as schools, which were supposed to be used as evacuation centers, had cracks and were also destroyed by the quake.

The evacuees were sharing their food and some of them also volunteered to hold coloring and story-telling activities for the children.

"Tulung-tulungan lang Sir. Kung sino 'yung merong pagkain, bigayan na lang," said evacuee Eduardo Lacuesta.

The quake struck eight kilometers southwest of the town of Jaro at a depth of two  kilometers beneath the island.

It was felt at Intensity V in Tacloban City and Palo, Leyte, and even as far as Cebu City.

Two persons, including a resident of Ormoc City, were killed during the quake.

Officials said at least 500 houses were damaged by the quake in 12 villages in Ormoc City. —Anna Felicia Bajo/ALG, GMA News