80 to 100 families in La Libertad town, NegOr buried under due to landslide, FVRC says
CEBU CITY, Feb 7 (PIA) -- An estimated 80 to 100 families in Sitio Bloke, Barangay Sulonggon in La Libertad town, Negros Oriental are feared to have been buried since yesterday due to landslide following the strong quake that hit the northern part of the province.
This is the report received by the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (RDRRMC) 7 from the Federation of Volunteers Through Radio Communication, Inc. (FVRC), a private group that provides assistance in rescue and retrieval operations in the northern towns of Negros Oriental.
There are 44 missing in La Libertad due to the landslides, according to the RDRRMC progress report.
Four huey helicopters have been dispatched by the Armed Forces of the Philippines to the Central Command to help in the conduct of the continuing search and relief operations in the areas affected by the 6.9 magnitude quake that hit Central Visayas.
Most hard-hit areas are in Negros Oriental in the northern part namely La Libertad, Tayasan, Ayongon, Jimalalud and Gihulngan City.
There are no electricity and water in the affected areas except in Gihulngon City, the RDRRMC report further stated.
Members of the RDRRMC are now in Negros Oriental to check on the situation and to find out what urgent things are needed.
The quake was also strongly felt in Cebu but no casualty was reported. (mbcn/fcr/PIA-Cebu)
==========
Groups volunteer to assist in rescue, retrieval efforts in quake-hit areas in NegOr
CEBU CITY, February 7 (PIA) -- Rescue team from the Federation of Volunteers Through Radio Communication, Inc. (FVRC) from Cebu is on their way to Guihulngan City, Negros Oriental to extend assistance to victims of the recent quake that hit the province the hardest.
The Cebu team will augment their counterpart in NegOr that is on its way to La Libertad to likewise assist in the rescue and retrieval operations in the area.
The 302nd Infantry Brigade of the Philippine Army, 703rd CDC, 7th Regional Community Defense Group, ARESCOM are also helping in the rescue and retrieval operations in.
A 6.9 magnitude earthquake hit the northern part of Negros Oriental at 11:49 a.m, yesterday which was also visibly felt in the provinces of Cebu, Siquijor and Bohol as well as in some areas in the Visayas.
The epicenter of the quake was found to be near Tayasan in NegOr.
Apart from Gihulngan City, some hard-hit areas were Ayongon, La Libertad, and Tayasan.
Members of the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (RDRRMC) 7 headed by the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) are now in the quake-hit areas of Negros Oriental to personally check the situation and condition of the victims.
As of 9:29 p.m. last night, there are more than 40 injured patients being treated at the small district hospital in Gihulngan which has only a 50-bed capacity, according to the RDRRMC 7.
Gihulngan City is about four to five hours away from Dumaguete City.
Police personnel were deployed in the city to provide security against possible looting, this is learned.
Classes in all public schools in NegOr have been suspended. (mbcn/fcr/PIA-Cebu)