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DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 9 March) – A series of earthquakes hit Mindanao late Friday night, lighting up Facebook with “Linog!” posts from netizens in many areas in the island.
The strongest quake, with a magnitude of 6.2, was recorded at 11:06 p.m., with epicenter north of Siargao Island in Surigao del Norte and east of Dinagat Island.
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) said the quake was of tectonic origin with a depth of 16 kilometers. The agency, however, said there was no expected damage, but noted that aftershocks were expected.
As of 9 a.m. Saturday, PHIVOLCS already documented at least 20 aftershocks in the Surigao del Norte-Dinagat-Southern Leyte area.
PHIVOLCS said the temblor was felt as Intensity V in Burgos, Surigao del Norte, Surigao City and Dinagat Island; Intensity IV in Butuan City and Tacloban City and their neighboring areas; and Intensity III in the cities of Borongan, Cebu and Gingoog.
MindaNews correspondent Roel Catoto, who is in General Luna in Siargao Island, reported that they felt the earthquake but did not cause panic among residents.
Earlier in the evening, PHIVOLCS also recorded an earthquake with a magnitude of 4.1 in the vicinity of Carmen, North Cotabato. But the agency expected no damage nor aftershocks. (MindaNews)
