The Provincial government of Surigao del Norte, through the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC), has announced the suspension of work and classes after a magnitude 6 earthquake jolted the province and nearby areas early Friday morning.
According to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs), the quake struck at 7:03 a.m. with its epicenter located 13 kilometers southeast of General Luna, a town on Siargao Island, and had a depth of 10 kilometers.
The PDRRMC Operations Center reported that over 28 aftershocks have been recorded following the initial tremor.
In a live broadcast on his official social media page earlier, Gov. Robert Lyndon Barbers said several municipalities-Alegria, Claver, Mainit, Placer, San Francisco, Sison, and Gigaquit on the mainland, as well as General Luna, Del Carmen, Socorro, and San Benito in Siargao Island-have suspended classes at all levels as a safety precaution.
Barbers also ordered the temporary suspension of all water-related activities in affected coastal and island towns.
‘No water activities, no island hopping, no surfing, no visits to Sugba Lagoon-a famous tourist destination on the island,’ he said, and reminded residents to remain vigilant, stay updated through official advisories, and prioritize safety while aftershocks continue to occur.
To ensure close monitoring and coordination, the PDRRMC has raised a blue alert status and activated the Provincial Emergency Operations Center (EOC). All city and municipal governments have likewise been instructed to activate their emergency operations centers and remain on heightened alert.
Local Chief Executives are authorized to declare localized or granular suspensions of work and classes depending on the conditions in their respective areas. They are also urged to submit immediate assessment and facility reports to the Provincial Operations Center together with the school administrators and local disaster response offices