A 6.5-magnitude earthquake has shaken the Eastern Visayas less than 24 hours after a quake in Luzon left at least 16 people dead.
Henry Torres, director of the province’s Office of Civil Defence, said at least four people were injured during the quake that occurred at 1.37pm today (Tuesday, April 23).
“One of the injured panicked and he jumped out of an establishment, the three others were hit by falling objects. All are minor injuries,” he said. All of the injured were from Catarman, Samar.
Mr Torres said the tremor cut off the power lines in the entire Eastern Visayas region, but power was quickly restored except for Eastern Samar.
He said that all disaster management officers in the region were now assessing the extent of the damage. So far, a number of cracked roads are believed to be the worst of it.
Mr Torres stressed that the damage was minor compared to what happened in Pampanga yesterday. “There are cracks in office buildings and other facilities, and a crack on the road in San Julian, Eastern Samar. But these are all minor and the roads are passable,” he said.
Earthquake not linked
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) has said today’s quake is not related to yesterday’s.
Ishmael Narag, Officer-in-Charge of Phivolcs Seismological Observation and Earthquake Prediction Division, said: “The earthquake yesterday is from a local fault in the Zambales-Pampanga area. Today’s earthquake is not related to that.”
He also stressed that the quake was not related to the sweltering temperatures currently being recorded in the province.
“The earthquakes are not affected by any weather phenomenon. The cause is not related to temperature or extreme weather conditions,” he said.
Phivolcs also clarified that the Samar earthquake was raised to magnitude 6.5 from magnitude 6.2 after receiving more data. Despite this, no tsunami warnings have been issued.
Phivolcs has recorded 495 aftershocks following the Luzon earthquake, and 21 for the Samar earthquake.
Today’s quake was of tectonic origin, with a depth of 17 kilometres. It struck 19 kilometres northwest of the municipality of San Julian.
Meanwhile, the death toll of yesterday’s Central Luzon quake has risen to 16, with 112 recorded injuries.
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