A magnitude 6.6 earthquake struck Calatagan, Batangas early Saturday morning, state seismologists reported, noting aftershocks were expected. There was no immediate report of damage.
In an earthquake bulletin, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said the tremor occurred at 4:49 a.m. at a depth of 116 kilometers. It was tectonic in origin, which means there was a movement in the Earth’s crust.
It was immediately followed by a magnitude 5.1 quake at 4:57 a.m., which struck at a depth of 107 km.
No damage is expected in both events, Phivolcs noted.
Phivolcs initially reported that the first quake had a magnitude of 6.7, but later revised its size to magnitude 6.6.
Intensity 5, considered by Phivolcs as “strong,” was felt in Calapan City & Puerto Galera, Oriental Mindoro; Sablayan and Magsaysay, Occidental Mindoro; Tagaytay City, Carmona and Dasmariñas City, Cavite.
Intensity 4 or “moderately strong” was recorded in Quezon City, Marikina City, Manila City, Makati City, Taguig City, Valenzuela City, Pasay City, Tagaytay City, Cavite; Batangas City and Talisay City, Batangas; and San Mateo, Rizal.
Intensity 3, or “weak” vibrations, was registered in Pasig City; San Jose del Monte City, Bulacan.
National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council spokesperson Mark Timbal said no damage was reported in Batangas, Mindoro, and Marinduque.
Operations of railway systems in Metro Manila were put on hold following the earthquake. After checking for potential damage, trains of MRT-3 and LRT-1 are now up and running.
Reporting by Albert Rovic Tan
AdChoiceTV News 