On April 22, 2019, a 6.1 magnitude earthquake struck the island of Luzon in the Philippines, leaving at least 18 dead, 3 missing and injuring at least 256 others. Despite the fact that the epicenter was in Zambales, most of the damage to infrastructure occurred in the neighboring province of Pampanga, which suffered damage to 29 buildings and structures.
Earthquake
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology initially reported an earthquake of magnitude 5.7 striking at 17:11 PST with an epicenter two kilometers N 28° E of Castillejos, Zambales. The report was later revised to an earthquake of magnitude 6.1 with epicenter 18 kilometers N 58° E of Castillejos. The fault from which the earthquake originated is yet to be determined, with geologists focusing on two nearby fault systems, the Iba Fault and the East Zambales Fault, trying to ascertain the source of the earthquake.
State seismologists said that Zambales had been spared from the earthquake destruction, despite the location of the epicenter being there, although the reports of fatalities and the damage have yet to be received by the local authorities. The neighboring province of Pampanga suffered damage to 29 structures/buildings and was the area most affected by the earthquake, due to the province sitting on soft sediment and alluvial soil. According to governor Lilia Pineda, several structures in the province were damaged by the quake, including a 4-story supermarket in Porac, the Bataan-Pampanga boundary arch and the main terminal of Clark International Airport, as well as old churches in Lubao and Porac, where the stone bell tower of the 19th-century Santa Catalina de Alejandria Church collapsed. Due to the collapse of the 4-story Chuzon Supermarket, the Department of Interior and Local Government had to suspend all business permits of Chuzon Supermarket and its branches, as well as to conduct an investigation regarding the collapse of the 4-storey commercial establishment, which was built 4 years ago. There have been at least 421 aftershocks reported but only 8 were felt. in Central Luzon 5 dams were damaged and "needed immediate repairs", with an estimated cost of 20 million pesos, according to the National Irrigation Administration. PHIVOLCS stated that the volcanoMount Pinatubo, located near the earthquake's epicenter, has not shown any "anomalous activity". Pinatubo is known for its major eruption in 1991, which may have been related to a major 7.7 magnitude earthquake in 1990. PHIVOLCS added that the earthquake could not trigger an eruption of Pinatubo, explaining that the volcano's magma supply has not sufficiently replenished since 1991 to allow for an eruption. On April 25, the Philippine National Police released the CCTV footage of the collapsed Chuzon Supermarket; the video shows the actual collapse of the second floor of the building in just 10 seconds after the earthquake.
Following the earthquake, classes in all levels were suspended. Numerous schools, Universities and colleges that were affected by the earthquake announced class suspension for April 23 and 24. The Department of Education ordered the thorough inspection of school buildings and facilities in the affected areas. A 10-story building of Emilio Aguinaldo College along United Nations Avenue in Manila was reported to have tilted and leaned onto the adjacent building, causing its fiberglass terrace to hit the other building. Soil liquefaction underneath the building was seen as probable causes. One lane of United Nations Avenue was closed to vehicular traffic to ensure the safety of motorists. An assessment team composed of private and local government structural engineers stated that the building's structural integrity remains intact.
Transport
Train services in Metro Manila were halted followed by an extensive inspection. All lines were closed for the rest of the day. Train services were expected to resume when the inspection results came out with the findings that the railway system sustained no damage. A crack on the girder was reported at the Line 2 Recto Station, but it came from an existing damage and was not earthquake related according to the Department of Transportation. It was also superficial in nature.
Rescue efforts
The authorities began the search and rescue operations for the survivors in the collapsed supermarket in Porac; however, the operation was suspended when a 4.5-magnitude aftershock hit the neighboring town in Castillejos, Zambales on April 24 at 2:02am.
