Magnitude 5.8 earthquake jolts Occidental Mindoro

A magnitude 5.8 earthquake hit Abra De Ilog, Occidental Mindoro, on Wednesday morning, according to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS).

The tectonic earthquake, which occurred at 9:09 a.m., had its epicenter at 13.55°N, 120.73°E - 011 km N 01° E of Abra De Ilog.

Interviewed on Super Radyo dzBB, PHIVOLCS director Renato Solidum said the quake -- which was felt in Metro Manila, some parts of Rizal, and Cavite -- was caused by movements in the Manila Trench.

PHIVOLCS said the quake's depth of focus was 106 kilometers (updated from the earlier 110 kilometers).

"Dahil malalim ang lindol marami ang makararamdam nito pero hindi naman damaging [Because of its depth the quake will be felt by many but it's not damaging]," Solidum said. 

"Kung sakaling yung Magnitude 5.8 ay mababaw, like less than 10 kilometers posible na po tayong makakita ng damage kasi yung enerhiya ng lindol hindi nabawasan masyado," he added.

(If a Magnitude 5.8 is not deep, for example less than 10 kilometers only, we can expect damage because the quake's energy will be felt strongly on the surface.)

Intensities

The quake was felt in the following areas:

• Intensity V — Lubang, Occidental Mindoro; Calamba City; Calatagan, and Calaca, Batangas
• Intensity IV — Malvar and Lemery, Batangas; Calapan City, Oriental Mindoro; Mendez, Cavite; Limay, Bataan; Tagaytay City; Manila City,
• Intensity III — Agoncillo, Cuenca, Lipa City and Talisay, Batangas; General Trias City and Dasmarinas, Cavite; Calamba, Laguna; Makati City, Muntinlupa City, Mandaluyong, Pasay City, Pasig City and Quezon City, Metro Manila; San Pedro, Laguna
• Intensity II — Caloocan City and Marikina City, Metro Manila; Olongapo City, Zambales; Cavite City; Sta. Cruz, Laguna; Taysan, Batangas; Batangas City; Lucena City; Binangonan, Rizal; Dolores and Mulanay, Quezon;
• Intensity I — San Mateo, Rizal; San Francisco, Quezon

Meanwhile, instrumental Intensities were felt in the following areas:

• Intensity V — Calatagan, Batangas; Lubang, Occidental Mindoro
• Intensity IV — Puerto Galera, Oriental Mindoro
• Intensity III — Carmona, Cavite; Tagaytay City; Muntinlupa City; San Jose, Occidental Mindoro; Calapan City, Oriental Mindoro; Quezon City
• Intensity II — Calumpit, Marilao, Plaridel and Plaridel, Bulacan; Las Piñas City; Malabon City; Mandaluyong City; Marikina City; Pasig City; Dolores and Gumaca, Quezon; Olongapo City, Zambales
• Intensity I — Baler, Aurora; San Jose City, Nueva Ecija; Guagua, Pampanga; Infanta, Lopez, Lucban and Polillo, Quezon

Although PHIVOLCS said aftershocks may occur, Solidum said there is no tsunami warning because of the quake.

And since the quake is not damaging, Solidum said those who went out of buildings for safety -- as reported by Super Radyo dzBB -- can now return inside. 

Assessment ongoing

In a separate Super Radyo dzBB interview, Mario Mulingbayan, head of Occidental Mindoro's Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO), said a team has been deployed to assess structures in the province for any possible damage.

"Ang utos po natin ay patuloy na i-assess, tignan yung mga imprastraktura natin, mga kabahayan, partikular yung mga tahanan malapit sa bundok, at baka may senyales ng pagkabitak," he said.

(The order was to assess infrastructures including houses, especially those in mountainous areas, for visible damage.)

Mulingbayan said they haven't received any reports of casualties from the quake.

"Sana magtuloy-tuloy yung balita na walag masamang nangyari hindi lang sa Abra De Ilog kundi pati sa ibang bayan ng Occidental Mindoro [I hope we will not be receiving bad news not only from Abra De Ilog but also from other towns in the province]," he said.  --KBK, GMA News