PHIVOLCS searches for ‘hidden fault,’ says more quakes of similar strength possible in Mindanao

The southern Philippine island of Mindanao could possibly experience more earthquakes of similar magnitude until the end of the year, according to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS).

"Base sa experience natin sa mga ibang places, pag ganyang hindi nya nire-release kagad yung energy, unti-unti niyang nire-release, posibleng maraming moderate-sized na earthquake na mangyayari," said Dr. Bartolome Bautista, the Deputy Director of the PHIVOLCS, in Saleema Refran's "24 Oras" report.

He was referring to how earthquakes are often released in small, moderate-sized tremors.

Because of the five strong earthquakes that originated in Tulunan, Cotabato City, PHIVOLCS is considering the possibility that there is a hidden fault located in the area, according to Refran's report.

At present, the agency has deployed a team to set up four temporary monitoring stations to search and map the fault.

The PHIVOLCS is also monitoring nearby faults, such as the Makilala-Malungon Fault that runs from Cotabato to Davao Del Sur.

Ishamel Narag, the officer-in-charge of the PHIVOLCS Earthquake Monitoring team, said he was "pretty sure that all the earthquakes are interrelated."

"The question is, is one event triggering another event? 'Yun pa yung tinitignan namin," Narag said.

Meanwhile, Mark Timbal, the spokesperson of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), said that residents should avoid staying in earthquake-prone areas at risk of landslides.

"Dapat maialis na po yung mga kababayan natin dyan. Yung mga lugar po na yung mga buildings ay nadamage. Huwag pa rin po papasukin ang mga kababayan natin," Timbal said.

On Thursday morning, an earthquake with a magnitude of 6.5 struck parts of southern Mindanao. — Angelica Yang/MDM, GMA News