March 16, 2012 Earthquake: Surigao, Philippines

At least 55 people injured and minor damage (VI PIVS) at Surigao, Mindanao. Felt (IV PIVS) at Carrascal and Tandag; (IV) at Butuan; (III PIVS) at Bislig, Cagayan de Oro, Cagwait, Cateel, Davao and Tarragona. Four houses destroyed (V PIVS) at Basilisa, Dinagat Island. Also felt (V PIVS) at

General Luna. Felt (V PIVS) at San Ricardo and (III PIVS) at Hinunangan, Maasin, Tacloban and Tolosa, Leyte; (III PIVS) at Borongan, Catbalogan, Dolores, Oras and Sulat, Samar; (III) at Cebu City, Cebu. Felt widely on Mindanao and in the Visayan Islands. (reference #1053)

SURIGAO CITY, Philippines - At east 55 persons were injured, some of them children while some government buildings were also damaged when a 5.9 magnitude earthquake struck Friday afternoon in the provinces of Dinagat, Surigao del Norte and northeastern-tip city of Surigao.

The injured were admitted at Surigao City Miranda Hospital, Surigao City Medical Hospital and Caraga Regional Hospital in Surigao City. Other victims were treated as outpatients.

A child, and a student who were stepped on during the stampede at a mall and a teacher who was hit by an iron steel at a gymnasium are reportedly under serious condition at a hospital here. Their identities were not immediately known. Surigao del Norte Gov. Sol F. Matugas said most of the injured are mall shoppers who were hit by broken glasses and stepped on at the newly opened Gaisano Capitol Mall during the stampede. "People panicked when the quake hit the city. In some buildings especially the newly-built Gaisano Mall, cracks are seen on some parts. Some people inside Gaisano Mall ran outside the building after some of the grocery stands started to fall. The earthquake was strong, it was the strongest so far to hit the city," said Phivolcs Surigao City officer-in-charge Engr. Daphne Egonia.

An estimated 5,000 people trooped to the mall, the first in Surigao City, when it had its grand opening Friday... However, she said the concrete house of the Barangay chairman in Basilisa town and its 3 other nearby houses collapsed. Still no reported casualty in the collapsed 4 houses as of this time, the governor said. The municipal building of Basilisa and the provincial capitol building of Dinagat has cracks on its structures. (reference #9786)