LAOAG CITY (PIA) – Laoag City recorded injuries and some infrastructure damages due to the magnitude 6.4 earthquake that hit the northern part of the country on Tuesday night.
 
According to Herman Fermin, head of the City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (CDRRMO), 14 construction workers sustained minor injuries during the earthquake.
 
Fermin said the workers were on duty at the construction site of the Dap-Ayan Government Center when the quake hit and that they were all rushed to the provincial hospital to tend their wounds.
 
The CDRRM chief also listed infrastructures that sustained minor and major damages in the city, including the Laoag City Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) Headquarters, the Sinking Bell Tower, the City Hall, and some schools.
 
The BFP water tank sustained major cracks, according to PMAJ Roxanne Parado, provincial fire director.
 
The damaged overhead water tank needs to be replaced due to major damages incurred during the quake.
 
“Considering na itong water tank ng Laoag City Fire Station ang isa sa reliable sources ng water sa pag-refill ng mga fire trucks natin in times of conflagration sa city, need na i-prioritize ng Laoag Fire Station ang pagpasa ng report para magkaroon ng agarang replacement from our regional headquarters pati na rin tulong from the city government of Laoag,” Parado said.
 
This afternoon, City Mayor Michael Marcos Keon, together with officials from the City Engineering Office inspected the Sinking Bell Tower which sustained new cracks due to the earthquake.
 
“The Sinking Bell Tower is a symbol of Laoag City and we must do everything we can to preserve it. Our assessment is that things are still basically okay but the two earthquakes have weakened its structure and we are considering retrofitting the tower as soon as possible,” Keon said in an interview.
 
Moreover, minor damages were seen in the Laoag City Hall, which had falling debris from the ceilings in some offices.
 
However, according to Keon, the damages are minor, and the employees are safe to come to work tomorrow.
 
Additionally, the school stage of the Tangid Elementary School collapsed while cracks were seen in some classrooms of the Lataag Daycare Center.
 
Last night, Mayor Keon suspended the classes of all levels in Laoag City for October 26, 2022.
 
Fermin also updated that all roads and bridges are now passable in the city and the electric power in all barangays have been restored.  (JCR/AMB/EJFG, PIA Ilocos Norte)