TACLOBAN, Philippines –  Eight persons were injured by falling objects in Leyte town, Leyte province when a  magnitude 5.1 earthquake struck at around 8:28 pm on Sunday, January 15.

Mayor Arnold James M. Ysidoro cancelled work and classes at all levels on Monday, January 16, and placed the entire town on red alert.

The town’s Immaculate Conception Church also suffered damage, with concrete falling on the interior floors.

The Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (MDRRMO) also reported cracks on roads, residences, and some slight subsidence or the sinking of the ground because of underground movement.

He ordered personnel of the MDRRMO and the town’s engineering department to check on the status of communities, especially the integrity of structures.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said residents should be alert for possible aftershocks. It reported a magnitude 3.8 aftershock around 9:11 am on January 15 and four more on Monday morning.

#EarthquakePH #EarthquakeLeyte#iFelt_LeyteEarthquake
Earthquake Information No.2
Date and Time: 15 January 2023 – 09:11 PM
Magnitude = 3.8
Depth = 003 km
Location = 11.30°N, 124.55°E – 011 km S 42° E of Leyte (Leyte)https://t.co/vAAfIRnE2x pic.twitter.com/ewhqYYixS4

— PHIVOLCS-DOST (@phivolcs_dost) January 16, 2023

Ysidoro asked barangays and the management of schools to report on damage.

“Please inspect your facilities, especially schools and public buildings, and report all damage, no matter how small, to ensure the safety of our students and teachers,” the mayor said in the local Waray language.

The report, he stressed, should include private buildings and residences.

Ysidoro created five groups composed of personnel of the engineering office, the rural health unit, the social welfare office, the Bureau of Fire Protection and the Philippine National Police. – Rappler.com