OCD activates emergency telecom cluster following Davao Occidental quake

The Office of Civil Defense (OCD) has activated its Emergency Telecommunication Cluster following the magnitude 7.2 earthquake that struck Sarangani, Davao Occidental Saturday morning. (Photo: Eugene Alvin Villar/ Wikipedia)

MANILA–The Office of Civil Defense (OCD) has activated its Emergency Telecommunication Cluster following the magnitude 7.2 earthquake that struck Sarangani, Davao Occidental Saturday morning.

This took place 9 a.m. of April 29, OCD administator and National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) executive Ricardo Jalad said in their Sunday update.

Aside from this, the agency has also coordinated with the Armed Forces of the Philippines OJ3 (Operations) for the possible deployment of a Lockheed C-130 “Hercules” cargo plane to the quake-affected regions.

Jalad also added that they have already prepositioned non-food items (tents, tarps, laminated sacks, water containers, sleeping bags and fuel for possible deliveries in the affected areas in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

Aside from this, the OCD chief said the NDRRMC has also conducted two response cluster meetings in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City regarding the possible effects of the quake and appropriate responses.

Also, Jalad ordered all Office of Civil Defense, provincial and local disaster response units in the affected areas to undertake precautionary measures and monitor possible after effects of the tremblor.

The strong earthquake, which struck 4:23 a.m. near Sarangani town of Davao Occidental, also prompted the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) to issue a tsunami advisory.

PHIVOLCS also warned residents and tourists to stay away from beaches fronting the Celebes Sea from 4:28 a.m. to 5:23 a.m. because of possible big waves generated by the quake.

The agency lifted the advisory a few minutes before 7 a.m., saying the threat of any tsunami had passed and only a 10-centimeter wave was monitored.

The earthquake was felt at Intensity 5 in General Santos City; Koronadal City, South Cotabato; Santa Maria, Jose Abad Santos, and Don Marcelino towns, as well as Balot Island of Davao Occidental; Polomolok and Tupi, South Cotabato; Alabel, Malapatan, and Glan towns of Sarangani province; and in Palimbang, Sultan Kudarat.