The National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) has advised caretakers of movable historic objects in areas affected by the magnitude 6.9 earthquake in Cebu to prioritize their safety and avoid entering structures ‘without prior coordination with authorities and after ensuring that aftershocks are no longer felt.’
In a statement, the NHCP expressed sympathy with the people of Cebu and nearby provinces affected by the strong earthquake that occurred Tuesday night.
‘Our prayers for the affected families. Please keep safe,’ it said.
‘Your personal safety is of utmost concern. Do not attempt to enter damaged buildings without consultation and coordination with site administrators and experts,’ it added.
The commission advised caretakers of movable historic objects in quake-hit areas to take the following precautions:
‘1. Secure the premises of the structure and protect entry and exit points to deter kibitzers and unnecessary people from entering. You can use barricades and caution ribbons for this.
2. Check the stability of the structure before doing any retrieval/salvage work. Wear protective clothing ( i.e. hard hats, appropriate gloves, brightly colored clothes) before entering the premises of damaged buildings.
3. Document/take photographs of damaged objects. Be wary of debris that might fall down on you.
4. With utmost care, retrieve and wrap the objects if possible with japanese tissue/clean cloth on sturdy boxes, taking as many broken parts as you can. If circumstances permit, label and group various broken parts together for easier identification later. It is IMPORTANT to retreive at the soonest time, the damaged objects as they are prone to further damages (should aftershocks occur, or heavy rains, etc.) and in the case of damaged and unguarded buildings, thieves and vandals.
5. If time and circumstances permit, it is recommended that other undamaged moveable objects be also retrieved for protection.
6. Bring the retrieved objects to a safe place identified by the heritage site administrator/s and away from the damaged structure. Take detailed photographs of damage incurred and label broken parts. Do create a quick inventory which contains the name of the object, measurements, component materials, present condition and damage/s observed.
7. Consult professionals and skilled artisans in the restoration of the damaged objects.’
The NHCP also cautioned people in earthquake-hit areas to be careful when uploading photos on social media, warning that ‘this can be used as a reference by looters, thieves, and unwanted persons.’
According to the latest update from the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs), the center of the magnitude 6.9 quake, initially reported as magnitude 6.7, was located 21 kilometers northeast of Bogo City, Cebu, at a depth of 5 kilometers. Phivolcs said aftershocks are expected, and property damage may occur. The agency also issued an advisory for possible minor sea-level disturbances following the quake./mcm