Porac, Pampanga placed under state of calamity due to quake
Published Apr 23, 2019 05:56 pm
By Franco Regala
PORAC, Pampanga – This town has been placed under a state of calamity due to a powerful quake that hit the province and other parts of Luzon on Monday.
Debris from the Sta. Catalina De Alejandria Parish scatter after it was hit by a 6.1 magnitude earthquake at Porac, Pampanga, April 23, 2019. (MARK BALMORES / MANILA BULLETIN)
The municipality of Porac was hit hard by a magnitude 6.1 quake, which also damaged several houses, buildings and schools in other parts of Pampanga, other nearby provinces in the region and in Metro Manila.
"Vice Mayor Dexter Albert David and members of the Sangguniang Bayan conducted an urgent session to declare the town under a state of calamity to enable the municipal government to utilize its calamity fund for assistance to affected residents," Porac Mayor Carling dela Cruz said.
According to him, the municipality will provide burial and other assistance to the affected residents.
He likewise called on the public to support concerned government agencies and other local government units (LGUs) for the immediate retrieval of those still trapped in the collapsed building.
“Kung sino po ang may mga equipment for rescue, tumulong po tayo dahil may mga naiwan pa sa ilalim," he said.
As of press time Tuesday, the number of fatalities was placed at nine. Five were from Porac and Lubao town, while three were dug from the rubble of a collapsed supermarket, also in Porac.
Chief Supt. Joel Coronel, Central Luzon police director, also disclosed on Tuesday that one more body was retrieved from the damaged supermarket.
Currently, power has been restored in most parts of the province, allowing rescuers to speed up rescue and retrieval.
Gov. Lilia Pineda commended the rescuers for pushing with the rescue past midnight.
"Magdamag silang hindi tumigil at nagpapasalamat tayo dahil marami rin ang tumulong upang makuha yung seven survivors," she said.
The governor said there were still people trapped under the rubble and assured that rescuers will not stop until everyone had been saved.
She likewise confirmed that one of the region's oldest church located in Lubao town - the belfry of a 17th-century Catholic church, also suffered damage.
The quake also damaged the Clark International Airport (CRK) terminal, CRK president Jaime Mezo also revealed.
The quake’s epicenter was plotted in the neighboring town of Castillejos, Zambales, about 100 kilometers northwest of the capital.
READ MORE: Strong 6.1 quake jolts Metro, Luzon, 491 aftershocks recorded after 6.1-magnitude quake that shook Metro, Luzon, Phivolcs: Refrain from circulating false info about impending quake in MM online
Debris from the Sta. Catalina De Alejandria Parish scatter after it was hit by a 6.1 magnitude earthquake at Porac, Pampanga, April 23, 2019. (MARK BALMORES / MANILA BULLETIN)
The municipality of Porac was hit hard by a magnitude 6.1 quake, which also damaged several houses, buildings and schools in other parts of Pampanga, other nearby provinces in the region and in Metro Manila.
"Vice Mayor Dexter Albert David and members of the Sangguniang Bayan conducted an urgent session to declare the town under a state of calamity to enable the municipal government to utilize its calamity fund for assistance to affected residents," Porac Mayor Carling dela Cruz said.
According to him, the municipality will provide burial and other assistance to the affected residents.
He likewise called on the public to support concerned government agencies and other local government units (LGUs) for the immediate retrieval of those still trapped in the collapsed building.
“Kung sino po ang may mga equipment for rescue, tumulong po tayo dahil may mga naiwan pa sa ilalim," he said.
As of press time Tuesday, the number of fatalities was placed at nine. Five were from Porac and Lubao town, while three were dug from the rubble of a collapsed supermarket, also in Porac.
Chief Supt. Joel Coronel, Central Luzon police director, also disclosed on Tuesday that one more body was retrieved from the damaged supermarket.
Currently, power has been restored in most parts of the province, allowing rescuers to speed up rescue and retrieval.
Gov. Lilia Pineda commended the rescuers for pushing with the rescue past midnight.
"Magdamag silang hindi tumigil at nagpapasalamat tayo dahil marami rin ang tumulong upang makuha yung seven survivors," she said.
The governor said there were still people trapped under the rubble and assured that rescuers will not stop until everyone had been saved.
She likewise confirmed that one of the region's oldest church located in Lubao town - the belfry of a 17th-century Catholic church, also suffered damage.
The quake also damaged the Clark International Airport (CRK) terminal, CRK president Jaime Mezo also revealed.
The quake’s epicenter was plotted in the neighboring town of Castillejos, Zambales, about 100 kilometers northwest of the capital.
READ MORE: Strong 6.1 quake jolts Metro, Luzon, 491 aftershocks recorded after 6.1-magnitude quake that shook Metro, Luzon, Phivolcs: Refrain from circulating false info about impending quake in MM online