Woman suffers miscarriage amid Mindanao quake scare; hospitals in Kidapawan City evacuated

 

Destruction and panic set upon many parts of Mindanao after a magnitude 6.3 earthquake struck the southern Philippine island on Thursday.

In Kidapawan City, a woman even suffered a miscarriage because of the scare from the tremors, disaster risk reduction chief Psalmer Bernalte said in an interview on Balitanghali.

“Isang pregnant woman na nag-miscarriage dahil noon nagkaroon ng earthquake, natakot siya. Then, dinala siya sa hospital.Then she have undergone a cesarean operation,” Bernalte said.

Residents in Barangay Ilomavis near Mount Apo were forced to evacuate after rockfall and landslides were observed in their area.

On Thursday morning, around 501 family evacuees returned to their homes, Bernalte said.

But patients of two hospitals in the city, Kidapawan Doctors Hospital and Midway Hospital, are still staying in evacuation areas.

Due to concerns of possible collapse after several aftershocks following the strong earthquake, patients from Kidapawan Doctors’ were evacuated to the city gym. Meanwhile, patients from Midway were evacuated to the city’s sport center.

 

 

In video shown in the report of Jonathan Andal in Balitanghali, patients were seen rushed outside the hospital during the earthquake. Some of them were lying in hospital beds, sitting in wheelchair and administered with IVs.

No fatalities were reported due to the earthquake, while three were reportedly hurt including the pregnant woman, Bernalte said.

Churchgoers were singing praise in a cathedral when suddenly they screamed and ducked under their seats as they felt the strong earthquake. The lights inside the church went out.

Meanwhile in Tulunan, Cotabato, CCTV footage caught a girl rushing to her grandfather when the ground started to shake. The picture frames, flower vases and toys fell to the ground.

In General Santos City, Gaisano Mall was hit by fire shortly after the 6.3 magnitude earthquake. According to a report of GMA News stringer Gary Balantay, the fire razed up to 80 percent of the mall.

Two firemen were hurt after debris fell on them while responding to the fire.

The management of the mall gave an option to its affected employees to be transferred to other branches so they would still have a means of living after the calamity.

However, some employees have been raising concerns that other branches are already too far from their homes.

 

 

Meanwhile, according to Jam Sisante Cayco’s separate report, a technical and vocational school in Magsaysay, Davao Del Sur was damaged after its ceiling and walls fell flat on the ground.

At least five persons have died after the earthquake. —Joviland Rita/JST, GMA News