Residents urged to stay calm, vigilant after Mindanao quake

FILE: MINDANAO QUAKE. Portions of a concrete wall on the second floor of the Marbel Evangelical Church Ministry Inc. in Purok Bagong Sikat, Barangay General Paulino Santos in Koronadal City, South Cotabato collapsed after a magnitude 6.6 earthquake rocked parts of Mindanao on Tuesday (Oct. 29, 2019). Malacañang urged the public to remain calm but vigilant after the earthquake, the second this month since the magnitude 6.3 temblor on October 16. (PNA photo by Allen Estabillo)

MANILA — Malacañang urged the public to remain calm but vigilant after a magnitude 6.6 earthquake rocked parts of Mindanao anew on Tuesday morning.

This is the second quake to hit Mindanao this month. The first was a magnitude 6.3 temblor that rocked North Cotabato province and other parts of Mindanao on October 16.

“We ask our citizens to remain calm but vigilant and we urge them to refrain from spreading disinformation that may cause undue alarm, panic, and stress to many people,” Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said in a statement.

“We also urge them to monitor developments through the alerts and bulletins of official government channels,” he added.

Panelo said the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council and the Office of Civil Defense is closely monitoring the situation in Mindanao.

He said all responsible government agencies and local government units are currently undertaking rapid damage assessment and needs-analysis of affected areas and communities.

This will determine how to properly assess the situation and coordinate rescue and relief operations, he added.