Reported deaths from Davao Oriental earthquakes now 8

The number of reported deaths from the doublet earthquake in Davao Oriental on Friday has increased to eight, but the figure is still subject to verification, according to the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) on Saturday.

Three of the reported deaths were in Davao Oriental, four in Davao de Oro, and one in Davao City, OCD Deputy Administrator Bernardo Rafaelito Alejandro IV said in an online briefing. 

The earthquakes (magnitudes 7.4 and 6.8) have also affected 267,000 individuals in Region XI and 210,272 people in Caraga.

As of 2 p.m. Saturday, around 11,000 individuals were in 18 evacuation centers.  

The OCD is currently focusing on four key areas of response, with the municipality of Manay in Davao Oriental as the hardest hit by the earthquakes. 

Alejandro said that health systems and response are the most pressing issues to be addressed.

“Non-operational po yung Davao Oriental Provincial Hospital in Manay, and overwhelm[ed] po ang hospitals in Mati and nearby areas. So, kailangan po mag-establish tayo ng alternative health facilities or mga temporary medical tents… Ito po ay ina-address [na] ng [Department of Health,]” said Alejandro.

(The Davao Oriental Provincial Hospital in Manay is non-operational, and hospitals in Mati and nearby areas are overwhelmed. So, we need to establish alternative health facilities or temporary medical tents… This is [now] being addressed by the [Department of Health].)

He also stressed the need to expedite assessment and immediate repairs of hospitals.

Alejandro emphasized the need for expediting the delivery of aid, as well as the restoration of power and telecommunication lines.

“We remind the public to remain alert, to stay alert, and to follow instructions galing sa ating mga disaster managers, and of course, to stay calm… Yung priority po natin talaga ngayon ay inyong kaligtasan. We urge you to cooperate and follow instructions dahil meron pa po mga aftershocks. Rest assured that all government agencies are on the ground,” he added.

(We remind the public to remain alert, to stay alert, and to follow instructions from our disaster managers, and of course, to stay calm… Our priority as of now is your safety. We urge you to cooperate and follow instructions because there are still aftershocks. Rest assured that all government agencies are on the ground.)  

Presidential Communications Office Acting Secretary Dave Gomez also reiterated Malacañang’s commitment to “work round the clock” to aid victims. 

“The President's paramount concern is the safety and well-being of our people in the earthquake struck areas… On the instructions of the President, all concerned frontline agencies were tasked to work round the clock to provide rescue and relief operations,” Gomez said. —VBL, GMA Integrated News