Masbate quake displaced 253 families —OCD Region 5

A total of 253 families or 1,039 individuals are currently living in evacuation centers after they were displaced by a powerful earthquake that jolted Cataingan, Masbate, the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) Region V said Sunday.

OCD V said 803 families or 3,350 people living in 40 barangays were affected by the 6.6-magnitude quake on August 18. 

“The collated number of damaged houses in Masbate is at 626,  wherein the number of totally damaged houses is 66, while the tally of partially damaged houses is 560,” the OCD said in a situationer report.

Authorities added that seven public structures in Cataingan and two in Pilar, Sorsogon were damaged by the quake, while one private building was also affected in Bulan, Sorsogon.

Also, the Department of Education said 75 schools reported damage.

Due to destruction, 98 classrooms need to be replaced while 171 need major repair.

Meanwhile, the OCD said over P3 million worth of assistance was distributed to affected areas in Masbate as of Sunday. —LBG, GMA News