PHIVOLCS: No tsunami threat from Japan earthquake

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology allayed fears of a tsunami from a powerful earthquake that hit Japan Saturday evening.

 

In its advisory, PHIVOLCS said the "strong distant" earthquake had a preliminary magnitude of 8.5 and occurred at Bonin Islands in Japan at 7:23 p.m.

 

A separate bulletin by the United States Geological Survey said the quake measured magnitude 7.8.

 

"No destructive Pacific-wide threat exists based on the historical and tsunami data. However, earthquakes of this size sometimes generate local tsunamis that can be destructive along coast located within a hundred kilometers of the epicenter," PHIVOLCS said.

 

"This is for information purposes only and there is no tsunami threat to the Philippines from this earthquake," it added. — Joel Locsin/JDS, GMA News