#FlashbackFriday: Exchange Associates Support Rescuers After a Deadly Quake in the Philippines

The 1990 Philippines earthquake caused several buildings at Camp John Hay Air Station to collapse.

Shortly before 4:30 p.m. on July 16, 1990, a 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck the Philippines. The quake’s epicenter was in Cabantuan City, but at least seven buildings collapsed in Baguio, home to Camp John Hay Air Station, roughly 100 miles to the north. Thousands were killed, seriously injured or left homeless.

Clark Air Base, southwest of the epicenter, received minor damage. As soon as its needs were taken care of, service members and Exchange volunteers made the journey to Camp John Hay and Baguio to help.  The quake caused mudslides, and sometimes the volunteers had to push supply trucks over washed-out roads to reach their destination.  Volunteers worked 18-hour days in support of rescuers.

Exchange associates have shown resiliency and support during other earthquakes, including a devastating 1964 earthquake in Alaska and a killer earthquake in 2010 in Haiti, as well as during other natural disasters.

(Source: Exchange archives)