AN earthquake that hit the Davao Region Tuesday morning prompted some occupants of high rise buildings in the city to evacuate their places.
Among those who immediately left their workstations were employees of the Mindanao Development Authority who were occupying the 14th floor of the 15-floor Pryce building in Bajada, one of the commercial areas in the city.
This was confirmed to TIMES by Assistant Secretary Romeo M. Montenegro, MinDA deputy executive director, who was among the 80 employees of the agency who had to hurriedly leave the building.
“Overall, being a new occupant of the top most floor, it gave MinDA staff a sense of readiness and idea about exactly what to do when stronger ones occur,” he said.
The earthquake had a magnitude of 6.2 based on the report of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology. It had a depth of focus of 49 kilometers and the location of the epicenter was 54 kilometers from Manay, Davao Oriental.
It was felt at Intensity 4 in Manay, Tarragona, Lupon, Mati City in Davao Oriental; Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur; and Bislig City. It was Intensity 3 in Don Marcelino, Davao Occidental; Cateel and Baganga, Davao Oriental; Tandag City, Surigao del Sur; and Davao City. It was Intensity 2 in Bansalan, Davao del Sur and Intensity 1 in Matalam, North Cotabato.
The Davao Oriental Provincial Risk Reduction and Management Office reported that there was no reported damages in buildings.
Earthquakes that hit the region, particularly those taking place at its southern parts in 2019, became among the economic growth challenges.
One of the heavily affected industry sectors, particularly in the city, was real estate.
As the sector was recovering from the impact of the earthquakes in 2020, suddenly the COVID-19 pandemic hit.
