…As 8 killed, dozens feared trapped after earthquake hits Philippines***
A Ferry, WINDU KARSA DWITYA collided with ferry VIRGO 18
near Merak port, Java, Sunda Strait, at around 1630 LT on Monday, April 22,
leaving one person who fell over board, missing.
WINDU KARSA DWITYA was leaving Merak, while VIRGO 18 was
approaching port, when both ferries serving Merak Bakauheni line collided.
One crew of WINDU KARSA DWITYA fell overboard and is
missing, one passenger was injured and transferred to hospital, on arrival to
Merak.
WINDU KARSA DWITYA suffered starboard bridge wing and fore
deck hull dents and breaches, VIRGO 18 sustained stern damages.
WINDU KARSA DWITYA, according to Fleetmon has returned to
port, withcall passengers left ferry. VIRGO 18 is also at Merak.
However, on land, the story was more bizarre as at least
eight people were killed when a magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck the
Philippines` main island of Luzon on Monday and officials feared dozens could
be trapped in the rubble of a collapsed commercial building.
The quake hit 60 km (37 miles) northwest of the capital,
Manila, disrupting air, rail and road transport and causing some damage to
buildings and infrastructure.
The province of Pampanga was worst hit. Eight people were
killed and about 20 injured, provincial governor Lilia Pineda said by telephone,
citing information from disaster officials.
Rescuers were using heavy duty equipment and search dogs to
try to reach people trapped after a four-storey building went down, crushing
the ground-floor supermarket, she said.
“They can be heard crying in pain,” she said of
those trapped. “It won`t be easy to rescue them.”
The Zee noted that the quake was initially reported as being
of 6.3 magnitude and later revised down to 6.1 magnitude, the U.S. Geological
Survey and Philippines seismology authorities said.
The Philippines is prone to natural disasters, located on
the seismically active Pacific “Ring of Fire”, a horse-shoe shaped
band of volcanoes and fault lines that circles the edges of the Pacific Ocean.
It is also hit by an average 20 typhoons a year, bringing heavy rains that
trigger deadly landslides.
Pampanga`s international airport at Clark, a former U.S.
military base, was closed and scores of flights were cancelled after damage to
parts of the facility including check-in areas.
Large cracks appeared on provincial roads and electricity
poles were felled. Rescue teams in Manila were preparing to reinforce efforts
to reach people trapped in Pampanga. The government urged people to be calm as
rumours of greater death and destruction gained traction online.
“We urge them to refrain from spreading disinformation
in social media that may cause undue alarm, panic and stress,” said
presidential spokesman, Salvador Panelo.
In Manila, the quake, shortly after 5 p.m., caused tall
buildings to sway for several minutes in the main business districts.
“We got nervous, we got dizzy. I ran downstairs with
three kids,” said Arlene Puno, a domestic helper in a high-rise apartment
in the Makati financial centre.
Elevated rail services were halted and workers were evacuated
from offices and condominiums, sending a flood of people onto sidewalks and
into bus queues and adding more chaos to roads that are among the world`s most
congested.
The quake was initially reported as being of 6.3 magnitude
and later revised down to 6.1 magnitude, the U.S. Geological Survey and
Philippines seismology authorities said.
Mark Genesis Samodio, 23, a maintenance worker at a Makati
condominium in the capital, said the quake`s impact was unusual, even for a
city that has grown used to them.
“I was sitting down then it shook so strong I thought I
was being rocked in a cradle,” he said.
