A MAGNITUDE 5.0 tectonic earthquake struck Masbate and also shook parts of the Visayas Sunday afternoon, November 15, 2020.
No damage was expected although aftershocks were possible, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said in an advisory.
The quake, centered around 18 kilometers southeast of Pio V. Corpuz town in Masbate, occurred at a depth of 18 kilometers at 2:35 p.m. Sunday.
It was felt at Intensity IV in Pio V. Corpuz and Cataingan, Masbate as well as in Almagro and Tagapul-an, Samar; Naval, Maripipi, Kawayan, Almeria in Biliran; Calubian, Leyte; and Medellin, Cebu.
It was also felt in other areas in the Visayas at the following intensities:
Intensity III - Villaba and Tabango Leyte; Calbayog City and Catbalogan City, Samar
Intensity II - Tacloban City; Palo, Carigara and Jaro, Leyte; Irosin, Sorsogon
Intensity I - Liloan, Cebu; Mandaue City; Cebu City; Lapu-Lapu City
Phivolcs also recorded instrumental intensities in the following areas: Naval, Biliran, Intensity IV; Catbalogan City, Samar, Intensity III; Ormoc City and Palo in Leyte, Intensity II; and Talibon in Bohol, Lapu-Lapu City in Cebu and Bago City in Negros Occidental, Intensity I.
Talisay City, Cebu resident Germana Iyog, commenting on SunStar Cebu's Facebook page post, said she also felt the ground shake.
She said she thought she felt dizzy, but later realized there was an earthquake.
"Hinay ra gyod kaayo (It was a mild tremor)," she wrote. (MVI/SunStar Philippines / WBS/SunStar Cebu)