Preemptive evacuation up in Sultan Kudarat town due to quake aftershocks
SULTAN Kudarat earthquake evacuees
COTABATO CITY – About 800 families in several coastal barangays in Kalamansig town in Sultan Kudarat province vacated their homes and proceeded to higher grounds due to successive earthquake aftershocks over the past 24 hours.
Mayor Ronan Eugene Garcia ordered a preemptive evacuation on Wednesday night after the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology reported over 450 aftershocks following the magnitude-5.2 quake on Jan. 19 that shook the town and nearby areas.
“Your safety is our priority, let us move to safer grounds, to covered courts, and evacuation area because this is unusual,” Garcia said, referring to successive mild but felt tremors.
He also ordered all fisherfolk and residents to temporarily cease fishing and other sea-related activities to prevent harm should a tsunami occur.
The latest tremor felt by residents was a magnitude-4.5 earthquake, as recorded by the municipal intensity meter, at 8:59 p.m. on Wednesday.
Garcia said the successive mild aftershocks could indicate that something big is coming, “so we take precautionary measures.”
Sultan Kudarat Gov. Datu Pax Ali Mangudadatu extended the suspension of classes and government work in Kalamansig, Lebak, and Palimbang through an executive order.
The Kalamansig evacuees are from Barangays Santa Clara, Pag-asa, Datu Ito Andong, Nalilidan, Dumangas Nuevo, Santa Maria, Cadiz, Sangay, Paril, and Poblacion. (PNA)