(Photo courtesy of PIA Abra)
MANILA – The number of families affected by the magnitude 7 earthquake that rattled Abra and nearby Northern Luzon provinces has climbed to 109,009, with the number of confirmed deaths now at 10.
In its Wednesday update, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said the affected families, equivalent to 421,728 persons, are residents of 1,133 barangays (villages) in the Ilocos, Cagayan Valley, and Cordillera regions.
The number of evacuation centers providing shelter to affected residents has dropped to 26 from Tuesday's 30, as more evacuees returned to their homes.
These evacuation centers are sheltering 801 families, consisting of 2,794 individuals.
Of the 10 confirmed deaths, nine are from the Cordillera region and one is from Ilocos.
The number of injured from the tremor stands at 410, consisting of 374 from Cordillera, 34 from Ilocos, and two from Cagayan Valley.
The NDRRMC also reported that they are no longer validating any casualties as of this time.
Houses damaged were placed at 28,788 in Ilocos, Cagayan Valley, Cordillera, and the National Capital Region (NCR).
Of the figure, 28,350 were classified as "partially damaged" and 438 as "totally damaged".
Meanwhile, the earthquake has left about PHP19.7 million worth of damage to agricultural infrastructure, equipment, and machinery -- all in Cordillera.
The damage to irrigation systems is estimated at PHP22.7 million in Ilocos and Cordillera, while damage to infrastructure has reached PHP1.27 billion in Ilocos, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Cordillera, and NCR. (PNA)
