Makilala earthquake victims now dealing with storms, illness

The earthquake-stricken residents of Makilala, Cotabato now find themselves dealing with inclement weather and even sickness in their evacuation camps, according to a Tuesday report by Connie Sison on Quick Response Team.

Evacuees' tents were knocked down by strong winds, while the tents at a Barangay Poblacion school were nearly blown away.

In Barangay New Cebu, an evacuation center was so badly damaged that evacuees and their belongings, as well as their sleeping areas, were left drenched.

Barangay Saging was also pelted by a hail storm, with several roads blocked by felled trees fell.

Meanwhile, illnesses have started to break out at several evacuation camps.

"Usually, diseases that we encounter are upper respiratory infections. Ubo, sipon, especially [sa mga less] than 1-year-old. and for elderly patients, usually hypertension," Philippine Red Cross volunteer Mark Anthony Joaquin said.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) meanwhile continued to record aftershocks, with a magnitude 2 tremblor recorded midnight Tuesday while a magnitude 3 quake was recorded past 7 a.m.

Mindanao residents were thus advised to continue taking precautions against these aftershocks. — Joahna Lei Casilao/DVM, GMA News