Magnitude 4.6 aftershock shakes Davao Occidental anew on Thursday

INQUIRER file photo

MANILA, Philippines — A magnitude 4.6 earthquake struck the waters off Davao Occidental on Thursday morning.

State seismologists said this is an aftershock of the strong tremor that jolted the area last week.

The tectonic quake occurred 36 kilometers northwest of Balut Island in Sarangani town at 11:24 am.

It had a depth of 65 kilometers, according to Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs).

“This is an aftershock of the 2023 November 17 Magnitude 6.8 Offshore Davao Occidental earthquake event,” Phivolcs said, relating Thursday’s event to the previous earthquake on Friday last week, which killed 11 people.

Phivolcs explained the new earthquake is part of the aftershocks, which now number at 120, as of 8:00 a.m. on Thursday.

Out of the 120 aftershocks, only six were felt, including this magnitude 4.6 earthquake.

Phivolcs also said damage is unlikely as an outcome of this new aftershock.

Meanwhile, the following areas recorded ‘instrumental’ intensities:

Intensity III (weak) – Don Marcelino, Davao Occidental; Kiamba, Glan and Maasim, Sarangani; T’boli, South Cotabato; city of General Santos

Intensity II (slightly felt) – Matanao, Davao Del Sur; Alabel, Sarangani; and Polomolok, South Cotabato

Intensity I (scarcely perceptible) – Maitum and Malungon, Sarangani; Lake Sebu and Tupi, South Cotabato; Bagumbayan, Sultan Kudarat; city of Kidapawan, Cotabato

Areas where ‘felt’ intensities were recorded are the following:

Intensity III (weak) – Sarangani, Jose Abad Santos, Malita, and Santa Maria, Davao Occidental; Alabel, Maitum, Maasim, Glan, and Malungon, Sarangani; Tampakan and Tupi, South Cotabato

Intensity II (slightly felt) – city of General Santos; Polomolok and Lake Sebu, South Cotabato; Malapatan, Sarangani; city of Koronadal; Matanao, Malalag, Sulop, Kiblawan, Magsaysay, and Bansalan, Davao Del Sur

Intensity I (scarcely perceptible) – Surallah, Banga and Santo Niño, South Cotabato

Instrumental intensity is indicated by the degree of ground shaking measured by intensity meters in and around the epicentral area.

On the other hand, felt intensity is the ground shaking actually felt and reported by the people, using Phivolcs’ Earthquake Intensity Scale.