Recent quakes not related to feared ‘Big One’ in NCR —Solidum

The string of earthquakes that shook several areas across the country recently has no connection with the West Valley Fault System (WVFS) that cuts through Metro Manila which experts warn will generate a devastating temblor, dubbed "The Big One." 

Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) director Renato Solidum told "Unang Balita" on Wednesday morning that the recent earthquakes —the most recent one in Lanao del Sur at 5:21 a.m. Wednesday—were generated by different underground faults.

"Pagdating po sa Metro Manila, walang koneksyon yung lindol na nangyari at 5:21 a.m. sa Wao, Lanao del Sur at walang connection ang paggalaw sa Batangas sa West Valley Fault System (WVFS), kung saan manggagaling ang posibleng malakas na lindol na makaaapekto sa National Capital Region," Solidum told Unang Balita anchor Susan Enriquez.

"Local fault po diyan sa Davao del Sur ang gumalaw na in the past gumagalaw na pero maliliit lang po ang mga magnitude na mapo-produce diyan, hindi umaabot ng mag.-6 katulad ng kanina," he added.

According to Solidum, just minutes after the magnitude-6 struck six km southwest of Wao town in Lanao Sur at 5:21 a.m., three felt aftershocks followed—mag. 3.6 at 5:37; mag. 3.4 at 5:49; and mag. 4 at 5:51.

Also, he noted that the earthquake in Batangas on April 8, the quake in Northern Samar on April 10, and today's magnitude-6.0 quake in Lanao del Sur are not unusual.

"Kada araw po kasi, may 20 lindol na nare-record ng Philippine Earthquake Monitoring Center ng Pilipinas so normal po yung pagkakataon na may mga lindol all over. Paminsan nararamdaman ang mga lidol, so nagkataon lang po," he pointed out.

All these recent quakes had been generated by minor faults that are not connected to the WVFS, Solidum assured.

While Solidum said that the series of quakes are not related to the Big One, he also urged people in Metro Manila should be prepared at all times. —LBG/TJD, GMA News