DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 06 February) – A Magnitude 6.4 earthquake of tectonic origin struck southern Mindanao at 9:40 p.m. Thursday, its epicenter at 85 km southeast of Jose Abad Santos in Davao Occidental, 53 days after a Magnitude 6.9 quake struck neighboring Davao del Sur.
Phivolcs’ Earthquake Bulletin 1 said no damages were expected, only aftershocks.
The quake was felt at Intensity III in the cities of General Santos and Davao and in Alabel, Sarangani, and Intensity II in Magsaysay, Davao del Sur.
Based on instrumental intensities, it registered Intensity IV in Malungon, Sarangani, III in Albael, Sarangani, II in the cities of General Santos and Koronadal and in Tupi, South Cotabato, and 1 in Kidapawan City.
All these areas also felt the series of above Magnitude 6 quakes in the last quarter last year.
Five above-Magnitude 6 quakes struck south-central Mindanao between October 16 and December 15 last year: 6.3 on October 16, 6.6 and 6.1 on October 29, 6.5 on October 31 and 6.9 on December 15, displacing thousands of residents, causing damages and economic losses.
The October 31 Magnitude 6.5 quake led to the collapse of Eva’s Hotel in Kidapawan City and the five-storey Himeji Building of Ecoland 4000 Residences in Davao City while the December 15 Magnitude 6.9 quake led to the collapse of a grocery store in Padada, Davao Del Sur. (MindaNews)