Barangay in Itbayat has no reported damage from twin quakes —solon

One barangay in Itbayat, Batanes has no reported damage following the earthquakes that rocked the area starting early Saturday morning, Batanes Representative Ciriaco Gato Jr. said Sunday.

In a Super Radyo dzBB interview Sunday, Gato said the situation in the surrounding municipalities of Itbayat are generally normal.

"Yung sa Itbayat, merong isang barangay doon, nine kilometers away from the town [proper], Brgy. San Jose, yun ang reported na walang damage," he said.

The initial quake (magnitude 5.4) struck Itbayat at 4:16 a.m. on Saturday. It was tectonic in origin and had a depth of focus of 12 kilometers. At past 7 a.m. a stronger one (mag.-5.9) jolted the town.

Gato reported that eight individuals have been reported killed in the earthquake, while six patients have been flown to Basco for treatment.

At least one person is also missing, Gato said.

Food, water and tent have also been transferred by the Philippine Air Force to Itbayat but there are still food packages that have yet to be flown from Basco, he added.

President Rodrigo Duterte is set to fly to Batanes to check the situation there.

Gato said the President is expected to arrive in Basco at 1:30 p.m. —Erwin Colcol/LBG, GMA News