(UPDATED) A tectonic earthquake with magnitude of 6.6 shook the entire Visayas early Tuesday morning, August 18, 2020.
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said it struck at a depth of one kilometer near Cataingan, Masbate at 8:03 a.m. Tuesday.
A structure collapsed and roads cracked in Cataingan as shown in photos posted by the Philippine Red Cross Masbate chapter.
Phivolcs initially said its magnitude was 6.5, but revised this to 6.6 in a new bulletin. Aftershocks were expected.
The earthquake was felt at Intensity VII in Cataingan. Based on the Phivolcs Earthquake Intensity Scale, an event felt at Intensity VII is destructive.
The quake was also felt in Cebu, Bohol, Samar, Leyte, Biliran, Negros Island, Panay Island, and even in Gingoog, Misamis Oriental in Mindanao as well as in parts of Bicol region and Quezon province in southern Luzon.
Here’s an updated list of the affected areas from Phivolcs:
Intensity VII - Cataingan, Masbate
Intensity V - City of Masbate, Masbate; Almagro, and Tagapul-an, Samar;
Intensity IV - Palanas, and San Jacinto, Masbate; City of Sorsogon, Sorsogon; City of Legazpi, Albay; San Andres, Quezon; Mapanas, and Palapag, Northern
Samar; Barugo, Dagami, Dulag, Julita, La Paz, Palo, and Tanauan, Leyte; City of Sagay, Negros Occidental
Intensity III - City of Baybay, Isabel, Javier, and Kananga, Leyte; Ormoc City; Mulanay, Quezon; City of Iloilo
Intensity II - Guinayangan and Lopez, Quezon; President Roxas, Capiz; Patnongon, Patnongon, San Jose de Buenavista, and Tibiao, Antique
Intensity I - Lezo, Aklan; City of Dumaguete, Negros Oriental
Instrumental Intensities:
Intensity V - Masbate City, Masbate
Intensity IV - Palo, Leyte; City of Iloilo; City of Roxas, Capiz; Naval, Biliran;
Intensity III - City of Bago, Negros Occidental; Malinao, Aklan; Pandan, Antique; Jamindan, Capiz; Ormoc City
Intensity II - Gumaca, Quezon; San Jose de Buenavista, Antique; City of Sipalay, Negros Occidental; Valderrama, Antique; Sipocot, Camarines Sur; Talibon,
Bohol; San Francisco, Cebu
Intensity I - Malay, Aklan; City of Gingoog, Misamis Oriental
(MVI/SunStar Philippines)