(OPS photo)
MANILA – The number of families affected by the magnitude 7 earthquake that rocked Abra and other northern Luzon provinces has climbed to 19,486, which is equivalent to 79,260 individuals.
The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said this figure was recorded as of 6 a.m. on Friday, significantly higher than Thursday's 4,969 families.
These families reside in 246 villages in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) and Ilocos Region.
The number of evacuation centers are placed at 26 and around 1,622 families or around 5,819 persons are being aided inside with the remainder being assisted by their families and friends.
Five people were confirmed dead, all from CAR while 116 were reported injured -- 115 from CAR and one from Cagayan Valley.
Undergoing validation are reports of another fatality in Ilocos Region; 20 injured (18 in Ilocos Region and two in CAR); and four missing in CAR.
Earthquake-affected houses in Ilocos Region and the CAR were placed at 1,583 where 1,535 were classified as "partially damaged'' and 48 as "totally damaged".
Infrastructure damage was estimated at PHP48.3 million in CAR, Ilocos Region, Central Luzon and the National Capital Region.
Meanwhile, the Philippine Army (PA) will deploy two teams with collapsed structure search-and-rescue capabilities in severely-affected areas.
In a statement Thursday night, Army spokesperson Col. Xerxes Trinidad said the teams will be coming from the 525th Engineer Battalion of the 51st Engineer Brigade.
The 525th Engineer Battalion is also known as 'Mandirigtas" (a possible contraction of 'Mandirigma' (Warrior) and 'Manliligtas' (Savior)". The 525th Engineer Combat Battalion is the Army’s primary humanitarian assistance and disaster response unit that played a crucial role in saving lives in the aftermath of natural calamities.
"(The unit has) prepared two search and rescue teams equipped with collapsed structure search-and-rescue (CSSR capabilities) that can be deployed on a moment’s notice to assist in the disaster-response efforts for quake-stricken communities in Northern Luzon on July 28, 2022," he added.
CSSR refers to knowledge and skills that are needed in stabilizing and extricating victims trapped in collapsed structures using the safest and most appropriate procedures.
Trinidad said these teams and their equipment are now on standby and ready for deployment at Camp General Rigoberto J. Atienza in Libis, Quezon City and the "Mandirigtas" Training Area in Western Bicutan, Taguig City. (PNA)
