A magnitude 4.8 earthquake that originated in Guimbal, Iloilo, at 6:13 p.m. Monday, March 2, was felt at Intensity 2 in Bacolod City and several other areas in Negros Occidental, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) said.
This has prompted some schools in Bacolod to cancel face-to-face classes on Tuesday while the structural integrity of their buildings are being inspected.
As of 9:08 p.m. Monday, 11 of 17 public schools and education centers in Bacolod City were declared safe for occupancy by the City Engineer’s Office that conducted a Rapid Damage Assessment and Needs Analysis (RDANA), Bacolod Mayor Greg Gasataya said.
Negros Occidental High School, Education and Training Center School I to III, and Andres Bonifacio Elementary School I and II were still undergoing inspection, he said.
“We highly encourage private institutions to immediately conduct visual inspections to ensure structural integrity for the safety of students and employees,” Gasataya said.
PHIVOLCS initially logged the Guimbal earthquake as magnitude 5 but later downgraded it to 4.8.
It had a depth of focus of 11 kilometers and was tectonic in nature.
The Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office in Negros Occidental said the earthquake was felt at Intensity III in Pontevedra; Intensity II in Hinigaran, San Enrique, La Carlota City, Sipalay City, EB Magalona, Pulupandan, Bago City, Bacolod City, Binalbagan, Valladolid, and Isabela; and was recorded at Intensity I in Ilog, Kabankalan City, Cauayan, Himamaylan City and Silay City.
University of Negros Occidental – Recoletos, La Consolacion College Bacolod and the Bacolod City College suspended face-to-face classes on Tuesday, March 3, as a safety precaution while their buildings are being inspected following the earthquake.
“For the safety of the whole UNO-R community following the recent earthquake, classes in all levels will be online tomorrow, March 3,” UNO-R announced.
Offices will also be closed to give way for their inspection team to check the safety in the university, it added.
Bacolod City College also said as a safety precaution following the earthquake, all classes on Tuesday will shift to asynchronous/online mode.
A structural and safety assessment of all school buildings will be conducted to ensure that the campus is safe for the resumption of in-person classes, it said. Scheduled school activities for Tuesday are cancelled, the BCC announcement said.*
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