Magnitude 5 earthquake hits Batangas town

INQUIRER FILES

LUCENA CITY – A magnitude 5 earthquake struck Calatagan town in Batangas province on Tuesday afternoon, April 1, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) reported.

According to Phivolcs, the epicenter of the tectonic earthquake that occurred at 5:25 p.m. was located 22 kilometers southwest of Calatagan. It had a depth of focus of 133 kilometers.

READ: Magnitude 4.6 earthquake hits Batangas

A tectonic earthquake is produced by sudden movement along faults and plate boundaries.

The quake was reported at Intensity II in Paluan, Mamburao and Santa Cruz in Occidental Mindoro province.

It was also logged at Instrumental Intensity II in Mamburao and Calatagan; Instrumental Intensity I in Abra De Ilog in Occidental Mindoro, Calapan City in Oriental Mindoro, Magallanes, Carmona and City of Tagaytay in Cavite province, and Abucay in Bataan province.

Reported intensities are measured based on an earthquake’s damage to property and its effect on people, while instrumental intensities are measured by an intensity scale.

Phivolcs said aftershocks are probable from the tremor. However, it is not expected to cause damage.

The town is 71 kilometers from Batangas City and 129 kilometers from Metro Manila.#