DAMAGE INSPECTION. A barangay worker in Kidapawan City, North Cotabato points to a female police officer another crack on the wall of their barangay hall following the occurrence of three aftershocks on Sunday evening (Oct. 20, 2019). The epicenter of the latest series of aftershocks brought about by the Oct. 16 tremor in North Cotabato was traced in Kiblawan, Davao del Sur. (Photo courtesy of PRO-12)
KIDAPAWAN CITY -- Aftershocks, as a result of the magnitude 6.3 earthquake on Oct. 16 that struck Tulunan, North Cotabato, will continue for the next six months, a volcanology station official said Monday.
Engineer Hermes Daquipa, chief of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) Kidapawan station, said that aftershocks are the result of continuous movement of earth layers underneath following the strong quake last week.
“To date, Phivolcs has recorded at least 550 aftershocks since Oct. 16,” Daquipa said.
The Phivolcs official also urged the public to refrain from sharing on social media information about an impending magnitude 8 earthquake that will transpire anytime.
“That is fake news, that is not true, please stop spreading false information,” he said in a radio interview.
He made it clear that no equipment can determine when an earthquake will strike.
On Sunday night, at least, three moderately strong quakes rocked Tulunan and Kidapawan City in North Cotabato; and Kiblawan in Davao del Sur.
Earlier, Phivolcs reported that the epicenter was traced in Kiblawan, Davao del Sur, which also shook the towns of Sulop and Bansalan, among others.
“The magnitude 4.8, 4.9, and 4.3 shakings came between 7 p.m. to 8 p.m.,” Daquipa said. Phivolcs said the three quakes were aftershocks of the Oct. 16 earthquake.
Daquipa also advised the public not to panic in times of tremors “Hide under tables or bed when shaking continues. If inside the building, stay calm and don’t run to the exit door while tremor is going on,” he said.
“If outside the building, go to open field, sit down and stay away from power lines, concrete walls, glass windows, and tall structures, he added.
Daquipa also advised motorists to stop and not cross a bridge, an overpass or underpass when a quake strikes as such structures might collapse. “If near the seashore, go to higher places,” he said. (PNA)
