5 quakes jolt Camarines Norte; strongest at magnitude 5.1

SOURCE: PHIVOLCS

LEGAZPI CITY ––- Five consecutive earthquakes rocked Camarines Norte and its neighboring provinces on Friday morning, with the strongest registered at magnitude 5.1, according to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs).

The Phivolcs said the quakes ranging from magnitude 2.6 to 5.1 were tectonic in origin, with the epicenter located east of Paracale town and east of Tinaga Island in Vinzons town, both in Camarines Norte, within 51 minutes.

The first temblor struck at 5:45 a.m., registering at magnitude 2.6 and located 44 kilometers east of Paracale.

It was followed at 6 a.m. by a 5.1-magnitude quake located some 24 kilometers east of Tinaga Island and a depth of 1 kilometer; another at 6:08 a.m. with a magnitude 3.7 some 18 kilometers east of Tinaga Island; and a 4.4 magnitude quake that struck 14 kilometers east of Tinaga Island at 7:30 a.m.

Nearly an hour later, at 8:23 a.m., another quake was recorded 14 kilometers east of Tinaga Island, registering at magnitude 3.

Phivolcs said the 5.1 and 4.4 quakes have a shallow depth of one kilometer that could not damage properties.

The earthquakes were felt in the provinces of Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, four towns in Quezon province, San Rafael Bulacan, Rizal, and Marikina City in Metro Manila.

The Phivolcs instrument recorded Intensity 4 in Jose Panganiban, Camarines Norte; Intensity 3 in Guinyangan, Quezon; Intensity 2 in Gumaca, Mauban, and Lopez towns of Quezon; and Intensity 1 in Marikina City and Cainta, Rizal.

Gremil Alixis Naz, spokesperson of the Office of Civil Defense in Bicol, said no damage was reported in the affected provinces.

LZB