A magnitude 4.6 earthquake hit areas of Batangas Sunday night, which forced evacuees at the Bauan Technical High School in Bauan, Batangas, to sleep outside the evacuation center.
The earthquake struck at 8:59 p.m., was felt at Intensity V in Bauan. Its epicenter, however, was located in Mabini, about 50 kilometers south of Taal Volcano.
The evacuees ran out of the school in fear of another disaster that could again endanger their lives. They have not yet from the Taal Volcano eruption and ashfall.
They decided to bring their beddings on the school’s ground, which is safer since it is an open space and tried to sleep.
Also read: More than 200 earthquakes recorded around Taal volcano
Fault movement caused Batangas earthquake
Phivolcs said on Monday the magnitude 4.6 earthquake that shook Mabini, Batangas on Sunday night was tectonic in origin.
They also said they are still studying its connection with Taal volcanic activity.
“Noong April 2017 may serye ng mga paglindol sa lugar na ‘yan at ang pagkilos po ng fault na nagdulot ng paglindol kagabi ay talagang tectonic siya,” PHIVOLCS Director Renato Solidum said in an interview on Super Radyo dzBB.
(In April 2017, there was a series of earthquakes in that area, and the fault movement that caused the quake last night was really tectonic.)
“Gumalaw po ang fault sa lugar na ‘yun,” he added.
(The fault is moving on that area.)
The quake’s epicenter was located four kilometers southwest of Mabini when it occurred at 8:59 p.m. on Sunday. Its depth of focus was seven kilometers.
PHIVOLCS is still investigating if the tectonic quake can be linked to Taal Volcano’s continuous eruption, which has already generated more than 700 volcanic earthquakes since it spewed ash column on January 12.