The Philippines was rattled by a powerful earthquake with a magnitude of 6.8 on the Richter Scale, as reported by the National Centre for Seismology (NCS) on Monday.
The official announcement from NCS on X stated, “Earthquake of Magnitude: 6.8 occurred on 04-12-2023, 01:19:42 IST, Lat: 9.03 & Long: 126.70, Depth: 82 Km, Location: Mindanao, Philippines.” As of the latest report filing, no casualties have been reported, and further details are awaited.
This seismic event follows a recent earthquake on Saturday in the southern Philippines, which resulted in at least one fatality. Thousands were instructed to evacuate, including areas in Japan, due to initial tsunami warnings that were subsequently lifted, as per Al Jazeera.
The earthquake on Saturday measured 7.6 according to the US Geological Survey (USGS) and 7.5 according to the European Mediterranean Seismological Centre. It struck off the coast of Mindanao island at a depth of 32km, followed by notable aftershocks exceeding magnitudes of 6.0 over several hours on Sunday.
The initial quake, occurring at 10:37 pm (14:37 GMT), triggered tsunami warnings across the Pacific region. Residents along the east coast of Mindanao evacuated buildings, and hospitals were emptied as people sought higher ground. The US Tsunami Warning System initially projected waves of up to 3 meters (10 feet) along some parts of the Philippine coast but later declared no tsunami risk.
Despite initial concerns, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) anticipated minimal damage from the earthquake and cautioned about potential aftershocks. Raymark Gentallan, the police chief of Hinatuan, reported power outages but no significant casualties or damage. Evacuated villagers returned home, and aviation authorities found no major damage to airports in the south.
Following comprehensive inspections, civil aviation authorities affirmed that several airports in the south encountered no significant damage, ensuring uninterrupted flight operations. Social media images shared by the local administration in Hinatuan depicted residents and vehicles heading towards elevated areas during the evacuation. The Philippines, being situated on the Ring of Fire, experiences frequent earthquakes due to its location in a seismic activity-prone belt of volcanoes encircling the Pacific Ocean.
