Mindanao airports report no damage after strong quake: CAAP

Mindanao airports report no damage after strong quake: CAAP
By Ma. Cristina Arayata

MANILA (Philippines News Agency) — The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) said airports in the Mindanao areas rocked anew by a magnitude 6.6 earthquake on Tuesday morning have reported no damage.

In a statement, the CAAP said the Butuan Airport, Davao International Airport, Cotabato Airport, General Santos International Airport, and Laguindingan Airport found no damage in their infrastructure, tower, runway, passenger terminal building, navigational aid shelter, and other facilities.

It added that officials of the satellite airports in Ozamiz, Camiguin, and Iligan said they did not even feel the effects of the earthquake that hit North Cotabato, with epicenter located inland northeast of Tulunan town.

The CAAP Security and Intelligence Service, Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting, Air Navigation Service, and the airports’ engineering offices conducted inspections after the quake that reportedly killed five people.

Meanwhile, Philippine Airlines (PAL) spokesperson Cielo Villaluna said that the flag carrier’s flights to and from Davao, General Santos and Cotabato remain operational and were not affected by the quake.

She said PAL’s airport ticket offices and city ticket offices in these three areas, however, were temporarily closed to give way to “structural inspections.”

Villaluna said ticket offices in Davao and Matina City remain open. (PNA)