5.7-magnitude earthquake jolts Luzon provinces, Metro Manila

SCREENGRAB from www.phivolcs.dost.gov.ph

MANILA, Philippines–A magnitude 5.7 quake jolted parts of Luzon, including Metro Manila, on Wednesday night.

Renato Solidum, director of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs), said that the epicenter of the earthquake was at 22 kilometers west of Calatagan town in Batangas or about 14 kilometers north-northwest of Barangay (village) Wawa in Puerto Galera in Oriental Mindoro, according to the US Geological Services, with a depth of 36 km.

Solidum said the earthquake was felt at intensity V in Puerto Galera and Batangas City and at intensity IV in Bulacan as well as in Mandaluyong and Malabon cities in the National Capital Region.

In Quezon City, the tremor was felt at intensity III.  At these intensities, objects indoors would be seen swaying due to the quake.

Radio and TV reports said the quake was also felt in Makati and Pasig cities.

Solidum said that they had yet to determine the exact source of the earthquake, which struck at 7:52 p.m.

“Initially we are looking at the possible movement of the Lubang fault. But it could also be the Manila Trench,” he told the Philippine Daily Inquirer.

Aftershocks may be expected because of the magnitude of the temblor.

The Philippines sits on the Pacific “Ring of Fire” where continental plates collide causing frequent seismic and volcanic activity.–With INQUIRER.net

Originally posted at 8:17 pm | Wednesday, June 25, 2014