Efforts are ongoing to restore power in areas that are left without electricity following a magnitude 6.9 earthquake that struck Davao del Sur on Sunday, December 15, the National Electrification Administration (NEA) said.
Several parts in the provinces of South Cotabato and Davao del Sur experienced power interruptions due to the strong earthquake, based on the monitoring by the NEA Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Department (DRRMD).
NEA DRRMD earlier directed all electric cooperatives in Mindanao to observe appropriate contingency measures.
As of Tuesday, December 17, the NEA DRRMD reported that electricity was fully restored to calamity-stricken areas covered by the South Cotabato I Electric Cooperative, Inc. (SOCOTECO I) and South Cotabato II Electric Cooperative, Inc. (SOCOTECO II).
Restoration is ongoing in the remaining 14 barangays under the franchise area of the Davao del Sur Electric Cooperative, Inc. (DASURECO) that are still without power.
NEA said power has to be restored in the barangays of Asinan, Bagumbayan, Buas, Buri, Colonsabak, Kauswagan, and La Swerte in Matanao; Bitu in Sta, Maria; Abnate, Balasiao, Kimlawis, and Tacul in Kiblawan; Harada Butai in Padada; and Malabang in Hagonoy.
According to the NEA DRRMD, DASURECO targets to fully restore power in the affected barangays by December 17.
The NEA DRRMD earlier directed all electric cooperatives (ECs) in Mindanao to observe appropriate contingency measures to mitigate the impact of the earthquake on their power distribution facilities.
The ECs were also advised “to activate their Emergency Response Organization accordingly when the need arises to implement without delay the appropriate emergency response plans.”
The NEA DRRMD also directed the Mindanao ECs to immediately “restore the electric service in areas, which were not affected by the earthquake but temporarily shut-off for safety reasons.”
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) said magnitude 6.9 earthquake struck Matanao town in Davao del Sur at 2:11 p.m. on December 15.