GROUND SHAKING. Image shows the epicenter of the minor earthquake tthat shook central part of Leyte Friday morning (April 26, 2019). The ground shaking occurs three days after the magnitude 6.5 earthquake in San Julian, Eastern Samar that rocked Eastern Visayas province Tuesday afternoon. (Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology photo)
TACLOBAN CITY -- A magnitude 4 earthquake shook Leyte province on Friday morning, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) reported.
There was no expected damage and aftershocks from the temblor that struck 7 km. northeast of Albuera, Leyte at 10:44 a.m.
The earthquake was felt at Intensity III in Ormoc City and nearby towns. There was no immediate report of damage or injuries due to the quake, according to Phivolcs.
The fault line that moved is within the Leyte Island fault line, which is part of the 1,200-km.-long Philippine fault zone, a major tectonic feature that transects the whole Philippine archipelago from northwestern Luzon to southeastern Mindanao.
The ground shaking occurred three days after the magnitude 6.5 earthquake in San Julian, Eastern Samar that rocked Eastern Visayas province Tuesday afternoon.
The tectonic quake, with a depth of 17 km., struck 19 km. northwest of the coastal town of San Julian, located 163 km. northeast of Tacloban.
The fault line in San Julian town moved 22 times with reported intensities from Tuesday afternoon to Friday morning. The strongest aftershock was just an hour after the strong quake at magnitude 4.6. The latest was recorded at 9:48 a.m. at magnitude 2.4.
Since Tuesday, earthquakes have been recorded in different parts of Eastern Visayas, such as in San Julian town; Hinabangan, Samar; Hinundayan, Southern Leyte; Guiuan, Eastern Samar; and Albuera, Leyte.
The presence of the active Philippine Fault Zone and lineaments has made 29 towns and cities in Eastern Visayas prone to earthquakes, according to Phivolcs.
Magnitude measures the energy released from the source of the quake while intensity measures the strength of shaking produced by the earthquake at a certain location. (PNA)
