August 31 quake leaves P14.22M in damage

Hundreds of thousands of evacuees returned to their homes Sunday after the 7.7 magnitude earthquake that struck off the coast of Eastern Samar, Friday night, August 31. The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) estimates the damage caused by the quake amounts to around P14.22M. Eastern Visayas was worst hit. The quake triggered landslides in which one woman died. Tsunami warnings were also raised in the Philippines and as far as Indonesia, Japan and Papua New Guinea. Waves of over half a meter hit parts of the eastern coast but were not high enough to cause any damage. NDRRMC Benito Ramos said, the Philippines was “lucky” this time around but warned local governments to improve disaster preparedness measures particularly in relocating communities affected by similar earthquakes in the future. 

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