Manila: Rescuers scrambled to find survivors in quake-hit central Philippines on Tuesday but a series of powerful aftershocks hampered their efforts as President Ninoy Aquino appealed for calm, a day after a 6.8 temblor shook the country killing over 40 people.
As many as 1005 aftershocks were recorded by the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology till afternoon on Tuesday as rescue workers struggled to find dozens of missing people in the densely-populated region that was shaken on Monday. Aftershocks and resultant landslides made several mountainous roads impassable in the Negros, the third-largest island in the Philippines.
President Ninoy Aquino appealed to the quake-affected Central Visayas population to remain calm and cooperate with the authorities as they strive to bring normalcy to the areas.
The quake had struck about 70 kilometers from the coastal city of Dumaguete in Negros. ANC television news said in a report that Vice President Jejomar C Binay was visiting Dumaguete to inspect the damage and rescue efforts. School suspended classes in the region as local authorities took account of damage to the school buildings and inspected whether they were afe to hold classes.
Philippines Armed Forces and Navy joined the police force in undertaking evacuation, search and rescue operations, an official statement said on Tuesday. (PTI)
