No person died and only minimal damage on infrastructure was reported in the aftermath of a magnitude 6.3 earthquake that struck Batangas and sent many people in different areas in Luzon trembling, the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) reported Friday, June 16.
***Office of Civil Defense (OCD) personnel evacuate from their office at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City on June 15, 2023 after a magnitude 6.3 earthquake struck Calatagan, Batangas and was felt in Metro Manila. (Photo by OCD)***
However, one woman got injured after she slipped and fell while evacuating at Laguna Senior High School in Brgy. Poblacion I, Sta. Cruz, Laguna, said OCD deputy spokesperson Diego Agustin Mariano.
“Wala po tayong casualties na namatay although mayroon po tayong injured na isa dahil po dulot ito habang sila ay nag-e-evacuate (We have no deaths although we have one injured victim who got hurt while evacuating),” Mariano said in a public briefing.
“Wala rin po tayong report na major damage sa imprastraktura. Puro usual effects lang ng lindol so minor cracks, medyo bumigay ang ceiling pero walang major damage na bumigay na building (We also have no report about major damage in infrastructure. We only have reports on the usual effects of an earthquake such as minor cracks, partly damaged ceilings, but there was no major damage like collapsed building),” he added.
At least four infrastructures in Batangas and Quezon Province were damaged by the earthquake.
A report from the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) showed that two schools in Brgy. Mabacong, Batangas City sustained cracks on its walls and had collapsed ceilings. The walls of a delivery room at a health facility in the same village also had cracks on it.
An electric post in Brgy. Sinturisan, San Antonio, Quezon Province also sustained minor damage.
There were also reported cracks at the Boni and Ayala train stations of MRT-3 but Mariano said that the management of MRT-3 has already assessed the damage and said it was not a cause for alarm for the riders.
“The train operations have resumed already,” Mariano noted.
The OCD official stated they will continue to monitor other effects of the earthquake as new reports from the ground start to come in.
“Reports are coming in so patuloy pa ang ating assessment (our assessment is ongoing),” Mariano said.
The magnitude 6.3 earthquake hit Batangas at 10:19 a.m. on Thursday, June 15.
The epicenter of the quake was recorded at 15 km southwest of Calatagan with a depth of 119 km.