Magnitude 5.7 quake jolts south of the Philippines capital, Manila

MANILA – An earthquake of magnitude 5.7 has struck south of the Philippines capital, Manila.

The deep quake struck off Batangas province on Luzon Island at 1:12am (17:12 GMT), with residents in the nearby capital of Manila woken by their buildings shaking.

Both aftershocks and damage are expected from the magnitude 5.7 quake, according to Phivolcs.

A magnitude 4.5 aftershock struck 19 kms. northeast of Looc at around 1:40 a.m.

Intensity I was reported in Abra de Ilog, Occidental Mindoro, Phivolcs said. No reports of damage so far

Authorities near the epicentre said they had not received any reports of damage.

“It was really strong,” Jose Clyde Yayong, a disaster officer in Tagaytay city in the neighbouring province of Cavite said. “So far there are no untoward incidents relating to the earthquake.”

Leonardo Tristan, a disaster officer in Looc town on Occidental Mindoro Island, said the force of the quake sent some residents rushing outside.

“My wife was shouting ‘there’s an earthquake’,” Tristan told AFP news agency.

The Philippines is regularly rocked by quakes due to its location on the Pacific Ring of Fire, an arc of intense seismic activity that stretches from Japan through Southeast Asia and across the Pacific basin.

Exact areas effected

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said the tectonic quake struck kilometers northeast of the municipality Looc at around 1:12 a.m. and had a depth of 76 kilometers.

Based on Phivolcs' bulletin issued at 4:54 a.m., Intensity IV was felt in Calatagan, Lian, Lipa City, Malvar and Nasugbu, Batangas; Malolos City and Obando, Bulacan; Cavite City, General Trias City, Naic, Amadeo, Bacoor City, Dasmariñas City, Tagaytay City and Tanza, Cavite; Biñan City and Cabuyao City, Laguna; Las Piñas City; Malabon City; Mandaluyong City; City of Manila; Marikina City; Muntinlupa City; Parañaque City; San Juan City; Taguig City; Pateros, Metro Manila; Abra De Ilog, Looc, Lubang and Mamburao, Occidental Mindoro; Baco, Naujan and Puerto Galera, Oriental Mindoro; San Mateo and Taytay, Rizal.

Intensity III was felt in Santo Tomas City, Batangas; Makati City; Pasay City; Pasig City; Quezon City; Valenzuela City; Santa Cruz, Occidental Mindoro; Antipolo City; Socorro, Oriental Mindoro

On the other hand, Intensity II was reported in Los Baños, Laguna; Palayan City, Nueva Ecija; and Intensity I in Arayat, Pampanga.

The following instrumental intensities were recorded:

Intensity V - Tagaytay City
Intensity IV - Batangas City and Calatagan, Batangas; Malolos City, Marilao and Plaridel, Bulacan; Carmona, Cavite; Malabon City; Muntinlupa City; Calapan City and Puerto Galera, Oriental Mindoro
Intensity III - Pandi, Bulacan; Las Piñas City; Marikina City; Pasig City; San Juan City; Guagua, Pampanga; Dolores, Quezon;

Olongapo City, Zambales
Intensity II - Baler, Aurora; Doña Remedios Trinidad, Bulacan; Makati City; Mandaluyong City
Intensity I - Cabanatuan City and Palawan City, Nueva Ecija; Dagupan City, Pangasinan; Lopez, Quezon.

Reported intensity is the traditional way of knowing the intensity based on reports of people who felt the earthquake while instrumental intensity is measured using an intensity meter that measures ground acceleration.