The number of families affected by Wednesday’s magnitude 7 earthquake that rocked Abra and other northern Luzon provinces has climbed to 4,969 or about 20,000 individuals.
“We have a total 4,969 families or 20,000 persons more or less who are affected in 110 barangays in Region 1 and Cordillera Administrative Region,” said Undersecretary Jose Faustino Jr. of the Department of National Defense.
Faustino, who is also chairperson of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, said about 2,312 families in Ilocos Region and CAR are sheltering in the 31 evacuation centers, while another 413 in the two regions are sheltering with their families and friends.
Office of the Civil Defense Assistant Secretary Bernardo Rafaelito Alejandro IV said that in terms of casualties, there are five deaths and 131 injured reported.
“In terms of damage to infrastructure, there is damage reported in Ilocos Sur. Also, 61 schools were reported as damaged as well as three bridges. As of reporting time, the cost of damage to infrastructure is PhP33.8 million in Ilocos Region alone,” he added.
Alejandro said concerned agencies and regional offices are still gathering reports on the damage to agriculture and other assets.
