Stampede in Baguio City quake drill; 54 students hurt

BAGUIO City, Philippines - A total of 54 students of the Baguio City National High School (BCNHS) were hurt in a "surprise" earthquake drill before noon Friday.

Inspector Virgilio Hidalgo, Baguio City police spokesman, said that three of the sutdents were rushed to the Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center, 21 were treated at the school's clinic for bruises and sprain and 30 more fainted during the drill.

The earthquake drill commenced at around 11:30 a.m., but it had to be abruptly stopped after the students panicked that led to a stampede.

Authorities said that the earthquake drill was planned by the local Office of the Office of Civil Defense, the Baguio Fire Department and school officials.

However, the students were not informed of the drill.

Alfredo Tolentino, a teacher at the BCNHS and coordinator of the activity, said that the students were not informed because "the element of surprise is an element of the drill."

"Earthquake occurs without warning," Tolentino further explained.

Tolentino, meanwhile, said that they will not release the names of the victims, whose ages range between 13 and 14 years old.

He said that initially, they thought the students were only "role playing."

”Akala po namin, yung staged-managed na may lima na casualty for dramatization of the drill, totoo na pala na maraming nasaktan,” he said.

Parents of the students criticized the officials behind the surprise drill for their "insensitivity."

Hundreds of people were killed in Baguio City in a powerful earthquake that struck Luzon in 1990.