Magnitude 4.8 quake, aftershock jolt Masbate

Masbate map. INQUIRER FILES

LEGAZPI CITY — A magnitude 4.8 earthquake and an aftershock struck Masbate province early Tuesday, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said.

Based on the bulletin of Phivolcs, the epicenter of the tectonic quake that occurred at 5:30 a.m. was located 13 kilometers southwest of Batuan town. Its depth of focus was 14 kilometers.

Phivolcs said it logged various instrumental intensities in different areas – Intensity V in Masbate City and Milagros town in Masbate province; Intensity IV in San Fernando town; Intensity III in Legazpi City in Albay and Palanas in Masbate; and Intensity II in Irosin, Sorsogon.

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It also noted reported Intensity V in Masbate City and Milagros town; Intensity IV in Aroroy and Monreal towns; Intensity III in the cities of Legazpi and Tabaco in Albay, as well as in Batuan, Masbate province and in towns of Bulusan and Donsol in Sorsogon; and Intensity I in Kawayan, Biliran.

At 6:12 a.m., a magnitude 3.9 tectonic earthquake was recorded four kilometers southeast of Batuan. It occurred at a depth of 21 kilometers.

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This temblor was felt at Intensity III in Masbate City.

Gremil Alexis Naz, spokesperson for the Office of Civil Defense in Bicol, said in a private message that there was no reported damage as of this writing.

READ: Strong earthquakes in Masbate: What do they tell us?