Masbate quake causes landslide, sea to recede, walls to crack

A 6.6 magnitude earthquake strikes beneath Masbate Island.

LEGAZPI CITY –– The 6.6 magnitude earthquake which rocked Masbate province Tuesday morning caused a huge landslide and the sea to allegedly recede in a town, according to residents.

In Pio V. Corpus, a huge landslide occurred at Bugtong village just minutes after the earthquake struck the province at 8:03 a.m.

“A sinkhole also appeared at the barangay (village) after the shake,” resident Geniva Patalita-Marilla said.

She said the sea also receded several minutes after the quake happened, but it was not followed by a huge wave.

In Placer town, several classrooms at Celera-Inocencio Central School sustained cracks. Disaster officials were still assessing the situation.

“It was really strong. Thank God we are all safe,” Kristine Faith Rodrigo, a resident, said.

Eryl Manatad, a teacher and resident of Barangay Poblacion in Cataingan town, where the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) seismic instruments recorded the quake, said they were not able to hurry outside due to the intensity of the quake that they felt while having breakfast at home.

“I have two babies, and I first carried my 5-month-old infant to an open space,” Manatad said.

Manatad added that they were advised not to reenter their homes yet as aftershocks were expected.

Phivolcs recorded more than 20 aftershocks after the initial quake.

As of Tuesday afternoon, the Philippine Red Cross in Masbate recorded 32 injured persons and one death in the province.

Edited by LZB