5.6-magnitude quake hits Oro, Misamis Oriental

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

A MODERATELY strong earthquake measuring 5.6-magnitude on the Richter scale rocked Cagayan de Oro, Misamis Oriental and some parts of Northern Mindanao, including the Caraga Region, Monday morning.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) recorded the earthquake at 11:49 a.m. Monday that originated 72 kilometers North of Dumaguete in the Visayas.

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The Phivolcs said the quake was tectonic in origin with 10 kilometers depth.

Marcial Labininay, Philvolcs officer-in-charge in Northern Mindanao, told Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro that intensity 3 was recorded in Cagayan de Oro, Misamis Oriental, Camiguin and Bukidnon.

Labininay said the quake was also felt at intensity 5 in Iloilo, intensity 4 in Kalibo and intensity 3 in Ozamiz and Butuan cities.

However, he said the earthquake is not something to be alarmed of since the local fault was found in Visayas.

“We should not be alarmed since this would not cause any occurrence of tsunami. The quake is only moderate,” Labininay said.

The country is part of the Pacific Ring of Fire, where frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions encircle the basin of the Pacific Ocean.

The Phivolcs record earthquakes almost every day, some of which are too weak to be felt. A 7.7-magnitude quake killed nearly 2,000 people in Luzon in 1990.