A MAGNITUDE 4.7 earthquake hit the town of General Macarthur, Eastern Samar early Monday, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) reported.
The temblor struck 39 kilometers southwest of General Macarthur town at 3:18 a.m. An Intensity IV was felt in the town.
Phivolcs recorded an Intensity III in Quinapondan and Hernani in Eastern Samar and Basey in Samar; Intensity II in Carigara and Dulag in Leyte; and Intensity I in Sulat, Eastern Samar; Hilongos, Mahaplag and Ormoc City in Leyte; Marabut in Samar; and Hinunangan, in Southern Leyte.
Magnitude measures the energy released from the source of the quake, while intensity gives out the strength of shaking produced by the earthquake at a certain location.
Phivolcs said both quakes were tectonic in origin, which means the tremor was caused by the movement of an active fault in the area.
There was no expected major damage from the tremors.
In previous studies, Phivolcs said earthquakes in Eastern Samar were caused by the movement of active faults, including the Eastern Samar and Salcedo Faults and the subduction of the Philippine Sea Plate along the Philippine Trench.
There are also other nearby local faults, which may not be manifested on the surface, and may be sources of small to moderate-magnitude earthquakes. (PNA)