A 6.1-magnitude quake hit the central Philippines on Thursday, according to the US Geological Survey, however, there were no early reports of casualties or major damage.
A powerful and shallow earthquake struck along the coast of Masbate Province in the country’s centre just after 2 a.m. (1800 GMT).
The epicentre was 11 kilometres (seven miles) from the beachfront village of Miaga in Masbate’s Uson municipality, according to the USGS.
More than 80 aftershocks of quake were recorded by the Philippines’ seismological organisation.
6.1 magnitude quake
Masbate provincial police chief Rolly Albana Said about quake:
“It was a bit strong.”
“I was sleeping when we were shaken and woken up.”
The province is home to about one million people spread across three islands.
Adonis Dilao, Masbate’s provincial disaster officer, told local media that various structures in the capital, Masbate City, including the provincial hospital, suffered wall cracks.
He stated that patients had been removed from the facility.
A piece of the ceiling collapsed within a city sports and entertainment centre.
Dilao stated:
“Electricity posts were moving, even parked cars were shaken.”
According to Masbate City Mayor Socrates Tuason, who ordered the suspension of classes and official activities, the “monitoring and evaluation of structural integrity” of structures would take place on Thursday.
According to Uson police chief Captain Reden Tolledo:
some residents fled their homes.
Tolledo further stated:
“Even I went outside because of possible aftershocks.”
The Philippines is located within the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” a zone of high seismic and volcanic activity that stretches from Japan through Southeast Asia and throughout the Pacific basin.
Because there is no technology to predict when and where they will hit, the majority of them are too weak for people to feel, but there are some that are quite powerful.
The country’s civil defence department conducts drills simulating earthquake scenarios along active fault lines on a regular basis.
The most recent big earthquake in the northern Philippines occurred in October.
An earthquake of a magnitude of 6.4 rocked Abra province’s mountain hamlet of Dolores, injuring several people, inflicting property damage, and knocking out power for the bulk of the area.
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