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No airports located near Abra suffered damage to facilities during a magnitude 6.4 earthquake that struck the province on October 25
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Airports in Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines Areas 1, 2, and 3 reported no damages
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Laoag Airport is closed on October 26 and 27 for assessment of the earthquake’s effects on infrastructure
Airports located near Abra have reported no damages to their facilities during a magnitude 6.4 earthquake that struck the province on October 25, according to the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP).
Tuesday’s series of earthquake began at 5:04am with a 4.6 intensity some 5km south of Padong town, followed by a magnitude 4.8 shaker some 24km northeast of La Paz town at 5:39am, before a powerful magnitude 6.4 quake struck at 10.59am about 12 kilometers east of Dolores town, according to the US Geological Survey (USGS).
Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) had reported a stronger 6.7 tremor on Tuesday night but downgraded its intensity to 6.4 on Wednesday morning.
The latest tremors followed a series of earthquakes that began on July 27 this year in Lagangilang town, also in Abra, that killed 10 people and seriously damaged roads and several buildings, including a hospital in the provincial capital Bangued, and in nearby places including Baguio.
Initial assessment of the runway, buildings, and structures of Laoag Airport in Ilocos Norte are being carried out on October 26, CAAP Area 1 manager Ronald Estabillo said.
CAAP has issued a Notice to Airmen closing Laoag Airport from 7:00 am on October 26 to 7:10 am on October 27. Two Philippine Airlines flights between Manila and Laoag have been cancelled.
Vigan and Baguio airports also incurred no damage and all personnel have been accounted for, CAAP said.
CAAP Area 2 manager Mary Sulyn Sagorsor reported no damages to Tuguegarao Airport, which is ready for operations.
CAAP Area 3 manager Glenn Tripulca also reported no significant damages to airports in Area 3, adding that all are operating normally.
Northern Luzon airports in CAAP Area 1 are those in Laoag, Vigan, Lingayen, Baguio, Rosales, and San Fernando, La Union.
Area Center 2 airports include those in Tuguegarao, Cauayan, Palanan, Bagabag, Basco, and Itbayat.
Area Center 3 airports include those in Plaridel, Alabat, Jomalig, Baler, Iba, Mamburao, Pinamalayan, Calapan, Wasig, San Jose, Lubang, Marinduque, Romblon, Sangley, and Cabanatuan.
CAAP said its Operations Center and airport safety officers are continuously monitoring the status of the airports in view of possible aftershocks.
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said the earthquake struck at 10:59 pm on October 25, with the epicenter at Tineg, Abra.
The temblor was felt in Luzon provinces including Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Benguet, Cagayan, Isabela, Pangasinan, and Aurora.
The July 27 earthquake was followed by a few more of varying intensities in Abra on August 1, August 8, August 11, August 12, August 18 and August 28. The strongest, at magnitude 7, struck on August 8 in Tayum.
