DIMASALANG, Masbate – A retired police officer died after he was buried under the walls of his home that collapsed due to the 6.6 magnitude earthquake that struck parts of the Bicol Region and the Visayas Tuesday morning.
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology recorded the tremor at 8:03 a.m. at five kilometers south, 17 degrees west of Cataingan town in Masbate.
Cataingan disaster officer Venus Rojo confirmed that retired Police Senior Superintendent Gilbert Sauro died after he was pinned down under his collapsed house in Sitio (sub-village) Alimango in Barangay Concepcion hours after the quake struck. His family was unharmed.
Another victim Ronalyn Condrillon was injured in Cataingan after the quake damaged several houses and public infrastructures, including the Public Attorney’s Office building, old and new Cataingan public market, and Cataingan police station, police said.
The tremor also damaged roads and the docking area of Cataingan Port.
Several streets and buildings throughout Masbate were also reported damaged, according to the Office of Civil Defense in Bicol.
As of Tuesday morning, Cataingan officials were conducting search and retrieval operations and assessment of the situation.