Magnitude 7 quake damaged Ilocos bell towers, heritage homes — Imee Marcos

Senator Imee Marcos  said several heritage sites and main roads in Ilocos Norte and Ilocos Sur were damaged after a magnitude 7 earthquake rocked Abra on Wednesday morning.

"Mga antique bell towers ng Bantay [Ilocos Sur] at Laoag nasira, pati Sarrat [at iba pa]. Heritage houses sira, iba natumba," Marcos, former Ilocos Norte governor, said in a text message to reporters.

"Ganun din [infrastructure] roads [including] Kennon, Paraiso Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte- Apayao, pati electrical transformers, lines, etc. kaya may brown out na," she added.

In a virtual interview, Marcos said roads going to nearby provinces such as Kalinga and Cagayan provinces are also affected.

So far, Marcos said there were no casualties reported but there are people who were reportedly injured.

Imee said she is coordinating with his son, Matthew Marcos Manotoc, who is the current governor of Ilocos Norte and other local chief executives in nearby provinces such as Isabela, Cagayan, Kalinga to discuss the possibility of a preventive evacuation.

Marcos said she is expecting the local governments in the north to declare a state of calamity after the recent earthquake.

In a separate statement, Marcos asked the Philippine National Police and the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council to monitor any possible aftershocks, storm surges or tsunami.

"Kung kinakailangan, palikasin na ang mga nakatira malapit sa mga karagatan, ang mga nakatira sa  mga lugar na madalas magkaroon ng landslide tulad sa mga bulubunduking lugar  na posibleng gumuho dahil sa lindol at mga aftershock," she said. — RSJ, GMA News