CDRRMO to public: Be on high alert

The Davao City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO) urged the public to be on high alert following a series of earthquakes on Wednesday, September 6.

An Intensity 3 earthquake hit the city Wednesday afternoon followed by another Intensity 4 tremor. The origin of the tremors was traced to the Cotabato Fault System.

CDRRMO Operations Assistant Ezra Fernandez said a number of edifices in at least eight barangays in the city sustained minor damage. Public schools in these barangays sustained light to moderate damage.

A total of 125 students from schools in Matina Crossing, Catigan, Toril Proper, Mintal, Baguio Proper, Calinan Proper, and San Antonio were in need of rescue. Thirty-seven of these students were rushed to the hospital while 88 were catered to on-site by the schools’ respective Barangay Disaster Risk Reduction Management Committee (BRRDMC).

Most of these students, Fernandez said, experienced difficulty in breathing with some even losing consciousness out of sheer panic.

“Some of them due to nag-panic sila sa pag-evacuate. Some of them naka-experience og difficulty in breathing and eventually nahimatay pud gyud sila (Some of them, due to panic while evacuating, experienced difficulty in breathing and eventually passed out),” said Fernandez during the I-Speak media forum on Thursday.

With this, the CDRRMO stressed the importance of disaster preparedness in all establishments. Fernandez reminded the public that the regular practice of earthquake drills and evacuation exercises must be given importance in schools.

The CDRRMO’s information and education campaign in schools, Fernandez said, has been ongoing non-stop to prepare students in the event of calamities.

“One of our interventions is to conduct information drive sa atoang mga eskwelahan. Dili lang sa mga eskwelehan but also sa mga private companies (One of our interventions is to conduct information drives in our schools. Not only in schools but also in private companies),” he said.

Schools may also request the CDRRMO to conduct disaster preparedness activities for their students.

On September 7, a simultaneous nationwide earthquake drill was conducted in all public establishments. CIO