Shallow 4.0-magnitude quake sways Southern Leyte town

A shallow and “moderately strong” earthquake Minor quake hits nine kilometers northwest of Malitbog town in Southern Leyte on Monday morning, February 19, 2024. Photo from Phivolcs

MANILA, Philippines — A shallow and “moderately strong” magnitude 4.0 earthquake struck a Southern Leyte town on Monday morning, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said.

The tectonic earthquake, which only had a depth of focus of one kilometer, occurred nine kilometers northwest of Malitbog town at 4:13 a.m., according to state seismologists.

However, aftershocks and damage from the quake are unlikely, Phivolcs also said.

Phivolcs noted the following instrumental temblor intensities:

• Instrumental Intensity IV (moderately strong) – Malitbog, Southern Leyte
• Instrumental Intensity III (weak) – Sogod, Southern Leyte
• Instrumental Intensity II (slightly felt) – Hilongos, Leyte; City of Maasin, Southern Leyte
• Instrumental Intensity I – (scarcely perceptible) Padre Burgos, Southern Leyte

Felt intensity is the ground shaking as experienced and reported by the population through the Phivolcs Earthquake Intensity Scale while instrumental intensity is the earth movement determined via intensity meters in and around the epicentral area.

READ: Panic, damage after deadly Leyte earthquake

In July 2017, two people were killed while scores were injured after an earthquake badly hit Kananga town in Leyte province.

Sitting on the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” where tectonic plates often collide, the Philippines experiences frequent earthquakes and volcanic activity.