The 6.1 magnitude earthquake that rocked Luzon Monday did half a billion pesos in infrastructure damage, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said Sunday.
In its 6 a.m. report, the NDRRMC said Central Luzon was the hardest hit, suffering P222.6 million in damage to schools, and P200 million in damage to roads and bridges.
This represented 83 percent of the total damage of P505.9 million done to more than 300 structures in Metro Manila, the Ilocos, Central Luzon and Calabarzon.
The quake killed 18 people, including nine in a flattened supermarket in Porac, Pampanga.
Meanwhile, the Department of Science and Technology said a group of researchers from the Philippine Normal University, De La Salle University, and Technological University of the Philippines have developed earthquake-proof desks for kindergarten students.
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The desks are called LAMESA or Life-Saving Automated Mesa to Endure Seismic Activity.
“LAMESA combines technology with capacity building in terms of knowledge and infrastructure to best address such probable disaster, particularly in educational institutions,” the DOST said in a statement.
The table top is made of steel and coated with epoxy paint for durability. It also has a storage bin with a sliding door for keeping lighting devices, food and water supplies for up to nine kindergarten pupils.
“LAMESA is equipped with an accelerometer, a device that senses motion, which feeds seismic measurements to a Wi-Fi-enabled microcontroller. This microcontroller then simultaneously triggers the actuator which causes the table top to fold 16 degrees upward,” the DOST added.
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