Kidapawan families, hospital patients displaced after 6.6 quake —CDRRMO

Kidapawan City is experiencing large-scale displacement after the 6.6-magnitude earthquake that his parts of Mindanao on Tuesday, the city disaster risk reduction management office (CDRRMO) chief said Wednesday.

Interviewed on GMA News TV’s Balitanghali, CDRRMO chief Psalmer Bernalte said that this is due to the fact that there are actually two groups of displaced persons in Kidapawan.

“Malawakan 'yung displacement dito dahil meron kaming two groups of people that are displaced. Itong hospital displacement at community displacement,” Bernalte said.

According to Bernalte, at least 1, 292 families were displaced from their communities in four barangays. He said displaced families evacuated from their homes due to the fear that their houses might collapse, considering the series of ongoing aftershocks.

At least 469 patients were displaced from six hospitals in the city, he added.

Classes in Kidapawan have been suspended due to the earthquake.

Schools have been undergoing structural assessment. Students and teachers are being assisted with stress debriefing after the ‘traumatic’ experience.

Bernalte noted that almost 30 out of the 40 injured persons in Kidapawan City are students of Kidapawan National High School.

"Buti na lang minor bruises lang. Yung iba, nag-hyperventilate at nagka-hypoglycemia because of shock,” he said.

"Hindi pa muna in-announce kung kailan babalik dahil binigyan muna ng pagkakataon na mag-recuperate and mga bata. Talagang nasha-shock sila,” Bernalte said. — Joviland Rita/BM, GMA News