Dinagat hit by quake, but no casualties

MANILA, Philippines—(UPDATE) A 4.5-magnitude earthquake rocked Dinagat Island Saturday evening, but no casualties or damage to property were reported, the Philippine Institute for Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said.

The tremor was recorded at 10:56 p.m. and was tectonic in nature. Phivolcs said the epicenter of the quake was located at 10 kilometers northwest of Loreto, Dinagat Island.

Although the quake was shallow—it originated 23 kilometers from the ground—there were no reports of deaths or property damage in the province or nearby areas, Phivolcs said.

The agency says earthquakes are usually felt in the eastern seaboard of Mindanao, which is located along the Philippine Trench. The tremors generated by the earthquake in Dinagat Island was felt as far as Surigao City, Phivolcs said.

Intensity 5 was felt in the town of Libjo, Dinagat Island while Intensity 1 was observed in Surigao City. At Intensity 5, the earthquake is generally felt by people indoors and outdoors, according to Philvocs.

Earlier at 9:08 p.m., also on Saturday, a magnitude 5.5 earthquake hit Isabela province in Luzon.

Originally posted at 05:45 pm | Sunday, May 22, 2011