Earthquake hits Mindanao; no impact in city

DAVAO CITY (MindaNews) – A magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck parts of Mindanao at 11:38 p.m. Thursday.

This developed as the City Disaster Risk and Reduction Management Office (CDRRMO) yesterday said the city did not suffer any damage as a result of the tremor.

Rodrigo Bustillo,

CDRRMO operations head, told TIMES that the earthquake had no “impact on the city” as it was “slightly felt only.”

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) in its Earthquake Information No. 1 said initially that the quake registered Magnitude 6 and its epicenter was 22 km southeast of Maasim in Sarangani province. In its Earthquake Information No. 2, Phivolcs said the quake was Magnitude 6.1 and its epicenter was 48 km southeast of Maasim.

It was the sixth above Magnitude 6 quake that jolted Mindanao since October 16, 2019: Magnitude 6.3 on October 16; 6.6 and 6.1 on October 29; 6.5 on October 31, 6.9 on December 15 all in 2019 and 6.1 on March 26.

Damages and aftershocks were expected, according to Phivolcs.

The quake was felt at Intensity 5 in Maasim, Glan, and Malapatan in Sarangani; Tupi in South Cotabato, General Santos City, and Palimbang in Sultan Kudarat.

It was Intensity 4 in Jose Abad Santos, Malita; Sarangani in Davao Iccidental; and Cotabato City; Intensity 3 in Davao City, Maco and Mawab in Davao del Oro;

Instrumental intensity was at 6 in General Santos, 5 in Alabel and Malungon in Sarangani; 4.in Koronadal and 1 in Gingoog City, Misamis Oriental. It was also felt in Sulu. The series of quakes since October destroyed several infrastructure and displaced thousands of families. MindaNews with a report from Rhoda Grace Saron