A series of quakes has rattled the Davao City region along a known fault line that runs across the eastern coastal region of Central Mindanao.
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) has issued the red-alert covering the area around Davao del Sur, Davao Oriental and several districts that surround Compostela Valley, reaching as far south as Digos City.
Phivolcs gave its second warning this week as a strong earthquake hit Davao City after a 6.5 magnitude quake rocked Mati City and several other regions in Davao Oriental.
This week’s earthquake asted for well over a minute, shaking buildings and causing terror.
Philvocs said the findings from a 2010 study showed that new cracks have emerged in a large region of land in the coastal areas of Mati and stretching north into Surigao de Sur.
Philvocs warned that the signs show that a massive earthquake could easily be unleashed in those regions, possibly creating a destructive coastal tsunami.
Last November, a 4.7 magnitude earthquake hit Davao City with tremors felt as far south as General Santos City (Gensan) and Cotabato City.
This week’s quake was much stronger, with its epicenter just off the coast of Mati City.
Mati City is not immune from earthquakes, a massive 8.3 magnitude quake shook the coastal town in 1924. The city was also devasted in 1893 with a 7.2 magnitude quake.
Philvocs experts now believe that Mati City and its surrounding regions are overdue for a major quake.
Philvocs also released historical information on the Monkayo earthquake that rocked the Philippines in 1893 – that quake was so huge that tremors were felt in Indonesia.
The Philippines was hit by a 7.2 earthquake in 2013 that left a path of destruction from Bohol all the way to Cebu, causing major loss to historical buildings, churches, roadways and more.