Magnitude 5.3 earthquake in Cotabato causes some damage

A magnitude 5.3 earthquake struck near the town of Makilala in Cotabato on Tuesday night, July 9, 2019. (Image from Phivolcs)

KIDAPAWAN CITY, Cotabato, Philippines — A magnitude 5.3 quake struck off the town of Makilala in Cotabato on Tuesday night, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) reported.

The temblor was recorded at 8:37 p.m., with its epicenter located some 20 kilometers southwest of Makilala at a depth of 14 kilometers, according to a Phivolcs bulletin.

Phivolcs said the quake, which was tectonic in origin, was felt at Intensity 5 in Kidapawan City, North Cotabato; Koronadal City, South Cotabato; and Santa Cruz, Davao Del Sur.

The quake jolted Davao City at Intensity 4, just like in the towns of Polomolok, Tupi, Tampakan, Sto. Niño and Quirino, and Tacurong City in Sultan Kudarat; and Glan and Malungon towns in Sarangani.

General Santos City and Kiamba in Sarangani felt it at Intensity 3, while Cotabato City, and Nabunturan, Compostela Valley felt it at Intensity 2.

As the ground shook, people here rushed out of their houses.

At the AJ Hi-Time Hotel here, staff scampered out of the building for safety.

Adelaida Bulahao said that, at the height of the quake, everything in her house in Barangay Kisante, Makilala, Cotabato, appeared to be falling.

In Makilala town, a portion of the wall in the house of Mark Anthony Tayco fell down, although no one was hurt.

No casualties have been reported as of this writing.

Some 30 minutes after the main tremor, an aftershock was recorded at magnitude 2.8, around 9:08 p.m.

Another came two minutes later at magnitude 2.2.

The last aftershock was recorded at 9:37 p.m. at magnitude 2.1.

(Editor: Alexander T. Magno)