HINATUAN, Surigao del Sur -– Coastal communities in the town of Hintauan remain deserted days after the 7.4 magnitude earthquake that rocked Eastern Mindanao.

The damage sustained by houses and structures was more visible on Wednesday as rain continued to pour.

Huge cracks surround the foundation of Barry Barrio’s home, which is why despite the difficulties of living in an evacuation center, he opted to abandon his home to shield his family from the devastation that could be triggered by persistent aftershocks.

“Natatakot pa rin ako hanggang ngayon, nanginginig. Hindi ko alam kung baka bigla na lang bumagasak 'yong bahay ko sa dagat. Kung mangyari 'yon, wala--back to zero na naman talaga kami. Ang hirap,” Barrios said, his voice quivering.

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Aftershocks have become less frequent but some are still strong enough to be felt. The coastal communities are particularly at risk for liquefaction, in which loosely packed, water-logged sediments lose their strength following strong ground shaking.

Liquefaction beneath buildings and other structures can cause major damage, according to the US Geological Survey.

In Barrio’s community, walls have shifted positions, some now rounded, indicating force from the other side.

State weather bureau PAGASA’s Doppler radar tower, also situated near the coast, was cordoned off after local engineers said the structure was unsafe for use.

Cracks line the tower and experts fear that a strong aftershock could cause its collapse. Around it, offices were temporarily closed with workers forced to work elsewhere like the town plaza.

Hinatuan Mayor Shem Garay said he instructed that psychosocial interventions be conducted for visibly distraught residents who continue to exude signs of fear and anxiety after each aftershock.

“Ito’y para magkaroon ng debriefing at maibsan 'yong mga kaba nila, lalo na 'pag nagkaroon ng lindol dahil emotionally, talagang takot na takot 'yong mamamayan ko lalo na 'yong mga bata,” he said.

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The local chief executive added that the earthquake has disrupted their instincts, where instead of remaining calm and performing a duck, cover and hold, residents do something else.

“Instinct na ng mga tao na pag may aftershock, yung mga tao kahit walang tsunami warning, sila na ang pupunta doon sa aming evacuation center. Ang problema namin ngayon dahil open space siya, nagpapatayo kami ng mga tents, doon na rin nagkakaroon ng sakit ang mga bata,” he said.

Workers from the Municipal Health Office have been instructed to monitor residents, particularly children who may be showing signs of illness.

EERILY QUIET

The aftershocks have also crippled tourism.

The Enchanted River, Hinatuan’s main tourist attraction has not been receiving visitors for the last 3 days.

Before the earthquake, around 200 to 800 tourists visit the site daily.

“Ngayon wala kang marinig na tawanan at usapan. Kami kami lang ang nag-uusap usap dito," said a tourism worker in the area.

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A few meters away from the river, a column of white and brown is etched on the mountain. At the bottom was a buildup of sediments – an indication of a landslide, which prompted the local government to temporarily discontinue accepting tourists.

According to Mayor Garay, the attraction generates around P2 million a month on entrance fees alone. So far, around P200,000 have been lost from its closure and it remains uncertain when it will reopen.

“Hindi pa kasama diyan yung mga vendors namin, yung souvenirs, yung hotels and drivers. So medyo malaki-laki rin ang aming problema dito. Pero we will try our best to as much as possible put things back to normal. Pero ang problema naming continuous pa rin ang aftershocks,” he said.

Even without tourists, the LGU has allowed staff to still come to work so that their daily wages are sustained.

STATE OF CALAMITY

The declaration of a state of calamity is seen as a mechanism to speed up recovery for the devastated town. The LGU says in each of the 24 barangays, a home was either partially or totally damaged.

Garay said majority of their calamity funds were allotted to preparation and response while the remaining 30 percent or roughly P4.5 million would be spent on the immediate needs of the city.

He admitted that the town was caught off guard and its reaction disoriented. Moving forward, he plans to change the way things are done.

“Hindi na pwedeng puro reactive ang government namin. Kailangan talaga proactive. We must see kung ano talaga ang kaya kasi nung first three days talagang nangapa kami, parang naghahabol kami sa mga needs ng tao. Nakausap ko na ang mga department heads ko sabi ko we must take the lead,” Garay said.

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