MANILA — Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) is expecting more damages and aftershocks from the magnitude 6.5 earthquake in Leyte province on Thursday (July 6).
“Because of that strong earthquake’s magnitude and shallow depth of 2.0 km only, we’re expecting damages and aftershocks,” said Phivolcs science research analyst Ellai Enbien.
She also cautioned about liquefaction and landslides, noting these can occur in areas the earthquake affected.
However, no destructive tsunami threat exists, Phivolcs said in its tsunami information 1 released Thursday afternoon.
“The earthquake occurred on land so we’re not anticipating any tsunami,” said Enbien.
Phivolcs said the 4:03 p.m. earthquake of tectonic origin struck 13 km south 48° west of Jaro.
According to Enbien, Leyte’s Jaro and Kananga municipalities already reported damages from the earthquake.
Phivolcs already monitored, as of 5:30 p.m. Thursday, 15aftershocks of the earthquake, she continued.
Those aftershocks were mostly concentrated in Leyte, she said.
Phivolcs is gathering data about the aftershocks so the agency can report on magnitude and exact location of these, she noted.
Forthcoming aftershocks may be felt and can further damage structures already affected by the earthquake so communities concerned must be cautious, she warned.
Enbien said Phivolcs is studying what caused the earthquake.
One possible cause is movement of Leyte segment, she noted.
Phivolcs said the earthquake was reported so far at Intensity VI (Jaro and Kananga, Leyte), Intensity V (Palo, Leyte; Tacloban City; Cebu City; Mandaue City; Ormoc City),Intensity IV (Catbalogan City; Cabucgayan and Naval, Biliran; Tolosa and Bato, Leyte Hinunangan, Southern Leyte; Sagay City, Negros Occidental; Burgos, Surigao del Norte),Intensity III (Bogo City and Talisay, Cebu; Roxas City; Iloilo City; Bacolod City; Inopacan, Leyte; Sogod, Southern Leyte; Calatrava, Negros Occidental; TagbilaranCity; Jagna, Bohol), Intensity II (Libjo, San Jose, Cagdianao, Dinagat Islands; Sorsogon City; Lapu-lapu City; San Juan, Southern Leyte; Javier, Leyte) and Intensity I (La Carlota City, Negros Occidental; Catarman, Northern Samar).
The earthquake was also reported at instrumental intensities of IV (Catbalogan City) and II (Palo, Leyte), Phivolcs added. PNA-northboundasia.com