MANILA – A magnitude 5.1 earthquake jolted Antique on Saturday afternoon, followed by a 5.9 tremor in Maguindanao two hours later, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) reported.
The tectonic quake in Antique struck 20 kilometers southwest of the municipality of Anini-y at 12:25 p.m. It was six kilometers deep.
Intensity IV (moderately strong) was felt in Anini-y, Tobias Fornier, and San Jose de Buenavista in Antique; while intensity III (weak) was reported in Belison and Sibalom in Antique; and Iloilo City.
A Facebook post by Florence Hibionada of Iloilo City said the tremor was strong enough to get their chandelier swaying for nearly two minutes and caused neighborhood car alarms to go off.
At 3:29 p.m., Phivolcs reported another tectonic quake 31 kilometers southwest of the municipality of Datu Blah T. Sinsuat in Maguindanao at 2:25 p.m. It had a depth of 1 kilometer.
Intensity V (strong) was reported in Datu Blah Sinsuat, South Upi, and Upi in Maguindanao; Cotabato City; and Esperanza, Lebak, Palimbang, Kalamansig, Sen. Ninoy Aquino, and Bagumbayan in Sultan Kudarat.
Intensity IV was felt in General Santos City; Zamboanga City; Pagadian City; Isabela City, Basilan; Antipas, Alamada, Tulunan, Pigcawayan, Kabacan, and Banisilan in Cotabato; Koronadal City, Tupi, Polomolok, Santo Niño, Surallah, Tampakan and Banga in South Cotabato; Kiamba and Maitum in Sarangani; Lutayan and Isulan in Sultan Kudarat; and Datu Odin Sinsuat and Sultan Kudarat in Maguindanao.
Intensity III was reported in Ozamiz City; M'lang, Makilala, and Tantangan in Cotabato; Norala, South Cotabato; Pres. Quirino and Columbio in Sultan Kudarat; Maasim, Sarangani; Pitogo and Labangan in Zamboanga del Sur; Liloy, Zamboanga del Norte; Siay, Zamboanga Sibugay.
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.
Phivolcs said both aftershocks and damage are expected from the earthquakes. (PNA)