(UPDATE3) North Cotabato quakes damage 83 houses, chapel

COTABATO CITY (Sept. 20) -- At least 80 houseshouses and a chapel were damaged in successive earthquake that hit North Cotabato Saturday, officials said today.The Makilala town disaster council office reported about 83 houses have been affected, 25 of which were totally damaged and dangerous to occupy.Renato Solidum, Phivolcs director, was quoted as saying by the Associated Press the series of tremors in Kidapawan and its environs today, described as swamps, have occurred in the past but no damages were reported.A town village in Makilalacelebrating its festival was among the badly hit community which was nearest to the epicenter of the magnitude 5.2 earthquake that struck at past 12 noon.A report from Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD-12) showed the residents of Barnagay Luayon reported that at least54 houses and a chapel were slightly damaged.Cynthia Ortega, Provincial Risk Reduction and Management Council action officer of North Cotabato, she and other provincial officials personally witnessed and felt the tremor as North Cotabato Gov. Emmylou Mendoza was the guest of honor of Barangay Luayon 62nd foundation anniversary.She said the PDRRM is still monitoring and assessing the situation. A boy was hurt when falling debris and hallow blocks from their house collapsed but he was okaywith just minor bruises,” Ortega said of the lone victim who she did not identify. I was there when the jolting happened, people have to stop for a while during the program when tremors were felt and then continue with the activities after the shaking stopped, Gov. Mendoza told reporters. The program continued despite the earthquake, she added.A series of tremors occurred in North Cotabato and Sultan Kudarat Saturday with the strongest happening at 12:26 p.m. which Phivolcs recorded at magnitude 5.2.It traced the epicenter in Barangay Bulatukan, Makilala, south of the country's highest peak Mt. Apo.Early in the day, at 5:59, a tremor occurred with Columbio, Sultan Kudarat as the epicenter followed by a 7:09 quake traced in Makilala.Several aftershocks were reported after that.The series ofearthquake, all tectonic in origin, also halted a kindergarten activity in Kidapawan City.Chandeliers in Sultan Kudarat province were seen swinging strong during the earthquake, reports said.The tremors werealso felt in Mlang,Arakan, Kabacan, Midsayap in North Cotabato andTacurong City, Bansalan, Davao del Sur and Digos City.