Magnitude 6.6 quake due to Manila trench movement, not linked to Taal’s activity — Phivolcs
MANILA, Philippines — The magnitude 6.6 earthquake that struck Batangas and other parts of Luzon on Saturday was due to the movement in the Manila trench and not in any way connected to Taal Volcano’s activity, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said.
“Ang lindol po kaninang 4:48 ng madaling araw ay sanhi ng pagkilos sa tinatawag nating Manila trench kung saan ang bloke ng bato nangagaling sa West Philippine Sea ay sumusuksok pailalim at umabot dyan sa ilalim ng area ng Calatagan at Mindoro,” Phivolcs Director Renato Solidum Jr. explained in a televised briefing.
(The earthquake earlier at 4:48 a.m. was caused by the movement in Manila trench where the movement of rocks affected the areas of Calatagan and Mindoro.)
“At ito po ay walang kinalaman sa volcanic activity sa Taal Volcano. Ito po ay madalas na mangyari at minsan ang mga lindol dito sa bandang ilalim ng Calatagan ay nararamdaman dito sa Metro Manila,” he added.
(This has nothing to do with the volcanic activity of the Taal Volcano. This often happens and sometimes, the earthquakes underneath Calatagan are felt in Metro Manila.)
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Taal Volcano’s status has been lowered to Alert Level 2 due to “decreased unrest” after it had a phreatomagmatic eruption on July 1.
The magnitude 6.6 earthquake was felt in parts of Metro Manila, Rizal, Bulacan, Laguna, Cavite, Oriental Mindoro and Occidental Mindoro.
Solidum said over 80 aftershocks have so far been recorded, the strongest of which happened at 4:57 a.m. with a magnitude of 5.5.
No damage nor casualty has so far been reported, he added.
“Wala naman pong casualty na naireport, kadalasan po ng naramdaman na pagyanig ay Intensity V lamang. Malakas po siya pero hindi mapanira. Pero dito po sa bandang Calatagan, meron pong ibang mga landslides na nangyari at may mga bahay na may kaunting sira. Ito naman po ay hindi extensive,” Solidum said.
(No casualty has so far been reported as the tremor was only felt at Intensity V. It’s strong, but not destructive. In Calatagan, there were landslides and some houses had minor damage but it was not extensive.)
