A red dot marks the area where a magnitude 5.6 quake occurred off Simunul Island in Tawi-Tawi. PHIVOLCS WEBSITE
MANILA, Philippines — A magnitude 5.6 earthquake hit Tawi-Tawi in Mindanao before dawn Tuesday, January 20, 2015, according to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs).
Hours later, another quake measuring magnitude 5 occurred off Davao Oriental.
The first quake struck at 1:19 a.m. off Simunul Island in the southern-most portion of the provincial archipelago, according to a Phivolcs bulletin posted on the institute’s website.
According to the bulletin, the epicenter was located 16 kilometers southwest of Simunul at a depth of 35 kilometers.
Phivolcs said the temblor was felt at Intensity 4 on Simunul and the islands of Bongao, Panglima Sugala, all in Tawi-Tawi; and also on Siasi, Sulu.
It was recorded at Intensity 3 on Languyan, Tawi-Tawi and Maimbung, Sulu.
In Davao Oriental, the magnitude 5 quake took place at 11:02 a.m. under the Celebes Sea, some 153 kilometers southeast of General Generoso town.
Phivolcs said the tectonic quake was 45 km underground.
In both incidents, the institute said aftershocks should be expected but discounted damage to infrastructure.
Phivolcs did issue any tsunami warnings.
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