Classes in at least two towns in Davao de Oro were suspended on Monday, August 5, 2024, following the magnitude 6.8 earthquake that jolted Surigao del Sur over the weekend.

These towns are Montevista and Monkayo. The town of Compostela also announced it would suspend classes but the suspension was lifted on Sunday.

In an advisory, the local governments of Montevista and Monkayo announced that classes in all levels and work of teaching and non-teaching personnel are suspended.

Classes were suspensed to ensure the safety of students and school personnel and to give way for the Rapid Damage and Needs Assessment (RDANA) teams to assess and inspect the school buildings and other structures.

These towns felt the intensity of the magnitude 6.8 earthquake that struck off the coast of Surigao del Sur around 6:22 a.m. on Saturday, August 3, 2024.

The epicenter was in Lingig, Surigao del Sur and the tremor had a depth of nine kilometers.

According to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS), the earthquake was tectonic in origin but there was no tsunami threat.

According to a report by Super Radyo dzBB, at least 468 aftershocks were recorded with the strongest reaching up to magnitude 6.1.