Over 400 aftershocks recorded after magnitude 7.6 tremor

THE Philippine Trench traversing Eastern Samar was recorded having 443 aftershocks following the 7.6 magnitude quake that rocked the region Friday night, the Philippine Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) Tuesday reported.

Myra Dolina, science research analyst of Phivolcs in Palo, Leyte said most of the aftershocks, with the same epicenter, were not felt by residents considering their low intensity.

The strongest was intensity 6.8, just 40 minutes after the major quake on the night of August 31.

Phivolcs website showed the latest aftershock around 8:50 a.m. Tuesday with a magnitude of 5.4. The official said aftershocks lasted for weeks.

“After the strong quake, the Philippine Trench continues to release its force. This is normal considering that the trench has not yet stabilized into its normal condition,” Dolina explained in a telephone interview.

Dolina said that after the major quake, they sent warnings to local government units (LGUs) since aftershocks are unpredictable and can collapse structures that were damaged from the main shock. 

According to Dolina, minor ground shaking before and after a major shock is advantageous as it reduces the intensity of possible strong quakes.

The Philippine Trench (Philippine Deep, Mindanao Trench, or Mindanao Deep), according to an online encyclopedia, is a submarine trench in the floor of the Philippine Sea of the western North Pacific Ocean bordering the east coast of the island of Mindanao.

The Office of the Civil Defense in the region Tuesday reported three persons were injured in General MacArthur, during the quake.

In addition to 110 houses damaged in the towns of General MacArthur, Guiuan, and Hernani in the region; Basey and San Jorge, in Samar, the OCD Tuesday reported there were also nine destroyed houses in Mercedes, San Julian, and Quinapondan in Eastern Samar. (Leyte Samar Daily Express)