MANILA, Philippines — There have been 2,400 aftershocks recorded since the magnitude 7 earthquake jolted Abra province last week, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) reported on Wednesday.
Phivolcs Undersecretary Renato Solidum noted that the highest magnitude logged among the aftershocks is magnitude 5.1.
“Marami na pong nangyaring mga aftershocks sa Abra at sa kapaligid na mga probinsya. Mga 2,400 na aftershocks na ang naitala since July 27,” he said in a Laging Handa public briefing.
(There were many aftershocks in Abra and surrounding provinces. Around 2,400 aftershocks have been recorded since July 27.)
READ: Magnitude 7 earthquake jolts Abra, other parts of Luzon
Based on the Phivolcs tally, the exact aftershock count due to the magnitude 7 tremor is 2,406 as of Wednesday, 11 a.m. Fifty-eight of them were felt.
According to Solidum, the aftershocks registered per day were decreasing and are expected to be even lower.
“Ito naman pong mga aftershocks ay talagang expected. Ang pinakamaraming aftershock ay nangyari nung unang araw at after that ay bumababa naman ‘yung bilang,” he said.
(These aftershocks are expected. The most aftershocks recorded were on the first day and after that, the number is decreasing.)
Solidum advised the public to prepare for an Intensity 6 aftershock as it is more dangerous and may cause already damaged structures to further deteriorate.
“Ang kailangan nating paghandaan ay kung may mas matataas pang aftershock na magdulot ng Intensity 6. ‘Yun po ay delikado sa mga siguro nasira na mga bahay at gusali,” he explained.
(We should prepare for a stronger aftershock that could cause Intensity 6. That is dangerous for damaged houses and buildings.)
“Kaya nga po ang marapat diyan ay huwag munang gamitin until maayos o ‘di kaya ay maipagawa nang mabuti,” he pointed out.
(That is why those structures must not be used until they are fixed.)
The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council’s latest figures showed that the death toll from the Abra quake remained at 10 while affected families stood at 109,009.
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