A magnitude six earthquake shook Mindanao this morning (Wednesday, April 12) with the tremor being felt across the island.
The quake struck at 5.21am with an epicentre four miles southwest of Wao, Lanao del Sur, at a depth of less than a mile.
The quake caused damage to property and power outages in Lanao del Sur, said Jennie Tamano, the province’s information officer. “Four barangays were affected, with 30 houses damaged,” she added.
Two mosques were also damaged, but so far, there are no reports of any casualties. Aftershocks are expected.
Speaking on ABS-CBN television, provincial disaster official Francis Garcia said: “Residents are really shocked with regard to the calamity that happened. So they are on standby at the highway.”
He added that patients had been evacuated from a district hospital as a precaution,.
Philvolcs said the quake was felt in 16 other cities and towns including Davao and Cagayan de Oro.
Francis Magbanua, an ABS-CBN reporter who is based in the region, tweeted a photo of his television set that had fallen off the wall of his house. “Our appliances fell from the wall racks,” he lamented.
Lanao del Sur Governor Bedjoria Soraya Alonto Adiong said she will check the area personally today “to see if there is a need to provide relief goods for the affected.”
Philvolcs has recorded an extraordinarily active day today, with more than 50 quakes recorded by 8pm, with another 12 logged after 8pm yesterday.