Solidum says recent Batanes quakes were first near Itbayat

The July 27 earthquakes in Batanes were the first recorded near Itbayat where eight people were killed while dozens of others were wounded, according to PHIVOLCS officer-in-charge Renato Solidum on Monday.

Because of this, the old structures and houses in the area were easily damaged and destroyed, Solidum added.

“Ngayon lang nagkaroon ng lindol na malapit sa Itbayat, kaya ngayon naapektuhan yung mga lumang estruktura at bahay na yari sa limestone,” he said in an interview on Unang Balita.

According to Solidum, the strongest earthquake that was experienced in Batanes was in Basco in 2000 at Magnitude 6.4.

“Malayo ito sa Itbayat,” Solidum said, adding the structures in Itbayat were easily damaged because they were old and made of limestone.

“Ang limestone madali pong matunaw sa tubig ulan. Rumurupok, at habang tumatagal ay humihina,” he said.

Solidum explained that residents felt the earthquake as vertical or up-and-down shaking because the affected areas are near the epicenter of the earthquake.

“Kapag ang isang lugar ay malapit sa epicenter, usually 60 kilometers at moderate to major earthquake ang nangyayari tulad noong Sabado, ang una talaga nilang mararamdaman ay up and down,” he said. —Joviland Rita/KBK, GMA News