Magnitude 6.0 quake rocks Masbate
A magnitude 6.0 earthquake rocked Masbate on Thursday morning, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) reported.
The epicenter of the quake was recorded at 11 kilometers southwest of Batuan, Masbate at 2:10 am.
The tremor which is tectonic in origin had a depth of 10 km.
Jun Bagalihog, Public Information Office (PIO) chief of the Masbate provincial government said there were no casualties and only minor damages from the quake.
In an interview with dzBB, he said: “With God’s mercy...But on some public roads, especially in the municipality of Batuan, there are cracks in the national road.”
“In our provincial health office, the four-story building also obtained cracks. The colosseum also has cracks. But generally, there was no major damage. Thank God we have zero casualties here in the province of Masbate,” he added.
He said there is an area in Batuan that is not passable due to the damage from the quake.
Bagalihog said there were also some houses also received minor cracks from the earthquake but no residents left. They only went outside their houses to wait for the tremor to stop.
The residents of Masbate also experienced aftershocks, he said over dzBB.
“A while ago, at 5 am, there was an aftershock, it was a little intense, let’s say Intensity IV. Because early in the morning we were at Intensity VII in Masbate City,” Bagalihog said.
According to Bagalihog, power had been affected.
“Immediately, when the earthquake happened at 2:10 am there was a power outage in mainland Masbate. So for now, we are having an ongoing power restoration,” he said.
He said only 70 percent of the power supply was restored.
Bagalihog also said classes and work for both private and government offices were suspended to give way to the assessment of buildings.
In a statement, Office of Civil Defense (OCD) spokesperson Raffy Alejandro IV said they are working with other local disaster offices to assess the damage from the earthquake.
Alejandro also said patients of the Masbate Provincial Hospital were transferred to tents outside and none of them were injured.
Intensity VII was reported in the City of Masbate, Masbate; Intensity V in Dimasalang, San Fernando, and Uson, Masbate; Intensity IV in the City of Legazpi, Albay; Aroroy, Cataingan, Esperanza, Milagros, and Pio V. Corpuz, Masbate; Irosin, and City of Sorsogon, Sorsogon; and Intensity II in Daraga, Albay.
Meanwhile, Instrumental Intensity VI was recorded in the City of Masbate, Masbate; Intensity IV in Bulusan, and City of Sorsogon, Sorsogon; and City of Bogo, Cebu; Intensity III in the City of Legazpi, and City of Tabaco, Albay; City of Iriga, Camarines Sur; City of Bago, Negros Occidental; Alangalang, Calubian, Isabel, Kananga, and Palo, Leyte; Ormoc City; and Rosario, Northern Samar; Intensity II in Gumaca, Quezon; Daet, Camarines Norte; Ragay, Camarines Sur; Prieto Diaz, Sorsogon; Malinao, Aklan; Jamindan, and Tapaz, Capiz; Argao, Cebu; Can-Avid, Eastern Samar; Abuyog, and Dulag, Leyte; and San Roque, Northern Samar; and Intensity I in Lopez, Mulanay, and Polillo, Quezon; Boac, Marinduque; Pandan, Antique; City of La Carlota, Negros Occidental; and Saint Bernard, Southern Leyte. Jaspearl Tan/DMS
