NDRRMC: Oct 31 Mindanao quake not an aftershock of Oct 29 tremor

Eva’s Hotel stands damaged after a strong earthquake in Kidapawan, North Cotabato province, Philippines, Thursday, Oct. 31, 2019. The third strong earthquake this month jolted the southern Philippines on Thursday morning, further damaging structures already weakened by the earlier shaking. (AP Photos/Williamor Magbanua)

MANILA, Philippines — The strong magnitude 6.5 earthquake that hit parts of Mindanao on Thursday is not an aftershock of the magnitude 6.6 tremor that also hit the region on Tuesday, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) explained.

“This is not connected, this is a separate incident from that of the October 29,” Mark Timbal, spokesperson of NDRRMC, said in an interview with reporters, citing information from the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs).

Timbal said the latest quake, which is the third powerful tremblor to hit southern Philippines this month, shows a high seismic activity in the area, particularly in Cotabato where the epicenter of the earthquakes was located.

“May mga faults na present doon sa (There are faults present in the) area and they have shown activities lately,” he said, referring to the magnitude 6.3 and 6.6 earthquakes on October 16 and 29, respectively.

READ: Powerful earthquake hammers Cotabato, other parts of Mindanao anew

Timbal also said augmentation teams from different provinces have been deployed to affected areas where some structures have collapsed.

He further said NDRRMC has yet to receive reports about persons possibly trapped in wrecked buildings as of posting time.

He then advised affected residents to remain alert amid the recent earthquakes.

“Ngayong panahon na sunod-sunod ‘yung mga lindol na nagaganap, naiintindihan natin na nakakatakot po talaga, pero sana po ang manaig sa ating mga kababayan ay ‘yung presence of mind at tsaka tapang, kasi minsan pag natakot tayo, the fear arrests us from doing what is necessary,” he said.

(We understand that the consecutive earthquakes cause fear, but I hope that presence of mind and courage will prevail because when we are afraid, the fear arrests us from doing what is necessary.)

/kga