2 earthquakes jolt Sorsogon, Surigao del Sur

Two separate earthquakes rocked the provinces of Sorsogon, Legazpi and Surigao del Sur early yesterday morning, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) reported yesterday.

According to seismologist Linda Amin there were two incidents of tremors, both of tectonic origin, but clarified that they were not related.

There were no expected damages and aftershocks in the area.

Ed Laguerta, resident volcanologist in Legazpi, said that the magnitude 4.9 aftershock was traced at 13.13 degrees north, 124.06 degrees east, or at 19 kms. north, 20 degrees east of Sorsogon City.

He said the shake that placed Legazpi City at intensity 3, and intensity 2 in Irosin, Sorsogon and Lignon Hill, was still an aftershock of the 5.8 magnitude earthquake that shook Bicol on Aug. 15 and had already triggered at least seven aftershocks.

“That last tremor was still an aftershock of the Aug.15 earthquake. Aftershocks last until about a year if the main event is very strong,” Laguerta told The STAR.

Albay Gov. Joey Salceda said that the province is set to enter into a memorandum of agreement with other government and non-government agencies that would create paramedic teams that will assist authorities in case of a worst case scenario.

Salceda said that the MOA will include the training of at least 400 personnel and employees of different agencies and business establishments to equip them with skills as paramedics.

The governor said that the paramedics will form part of the Albay Health Emergency Management teams to further train in the Emergency Paramedic Academy hosted by the Bicol University College of Nursing. The first batch of trainees will start training on Sept. 20.

Cedric Daep, Albay’s chief of the Provincial Disaster Management Office (PDMO), said that preparations for an earthquake-caused disaster is difficult because even disaster response teams, particularly doctors and hospital personnel, might also become victims themselves.