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Philippine Officials Credit Disaster Drills for Limiting Quake Deaths
A 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck off Sarangani province Monday, killing 55 people and injuring about 1,120. Officials said years of preparedness drills reduced the death toll and prevented stampedes in schools and workplaces.
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A 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck offshore from Sarangani province on Monday, killing 55 people, injuring about 1,120 others, and leaving 31 missing, Philippine officials said Friday. The quake displaced more than 45,000 residents and damaged over 12,600 houses across farming towns and cities in the south.
About half of those displaced remain in emergency shelters, with many staying away from homes due to strong aftershocks.
Officials said years of disaster-preparedness drills helped limit casualties by teaching people to stay calm and avoid stampedes. School staff had completed one-day incident-management courses and formed disaster-response teams among teachers. Videos posted on social media showed students at a grade school in Malita remaining seated on the school ground as the ground swayed.
A nearby tin-roof shed collapsed, but no injuries were reported at the school. Teresito Bacolcol, director of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, said the drills helped people anticipate and brace for the event. He noted concern that some buildings collapsed despite the country's building code.
Ednar Dayanghirang, director of the Office of Civil Defense in the affected region, said the drills prevented deadly stampedes in schools and workplaces. The Philippines sits on the Pacific Ring of Fire and experiences frequent earthquakes and volcanic activity.
