10 HURT IN MASBATE QUAKES
[PHOTO COURTESY
OF ABS-CBN -A Philippine National Red Cross staff inspects a structure
damaged by the magnitude 5.2 earthquake that hit Masbate City on Tuesday. The
earthquake left cracks on some buildings and eight people injured. Photo: Handout/PNRC]
MANILA, MARCH 7, 2012 (ABS-CBN) At least 22 aftershocks were
recorded from the earthquake that hit Masbate City Tuesday morning, according to
the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs).
The tremor was also felt in parts of Sorsogon province; Roxas City in Capiz
province; Samar provinces; Iloilo City; Legaspi City; and Aklan province.
At first glance, everything appeared to be normal in Masbate.
But buildings with cracks show the damage left by the magnitude 5.2 quake
that hit the city a few minutes past 7 a.m.
Footage from a closed circuit television (CCTV) camera given to ABS-CBN News
captured the moments when the tremor struck.
Some motorcycle riders fell.
In one of the stores, electricity fluctuated and goods were strewn around.
Authorities said at least 10 people were injured in the quake.
There were also power outages and classes were suspended.
Masbate Mayor Socrates Tuason said they are still assessing the cost of
damage.
Philippine fault
When a 6.9 magnitude earthquake hit Negros Oriental last February, the tremor
was felt in Iloilo.
Buildings in the province were left with cracks, forcing many offices to be
transferred.
Among those affected was the Iloilo Hall of Justice where hearings and
transactions have been suspended.
On Tuesday, Iloilo was again affected by another earthquake.
Phivolcs said the Masbate segment of the Philippine fault moved, causing a
magnitude 5.2 tremor.
"Kung titignan natin ang history, dapat lang paghandaan, hindi dapat
mag-panic, dapat paghandaan ang posibilidad ng malalakas na lindol. Nangyari na
'yan ng 2003, may 5.2 [magnitude] tapos may 6.9 [magnitude] after, in the same
day," said Phivolcs Director Renato Solidum.
The Philippine fault runs practically the entire length of the country.
It passes through Ilocos, Masbate, the Visayas and Davao in the south.
But officials said the recent earthquake in Masbate should be no cause for
concern since the tremor was not strong enough to affect other areas along the
fault line.
The Philippine fault has 12 segments and not all of them move at the same
time.
Still, the Masbate quake proved to be destructive, especially in Masbate
City, where it was felt at intensity 6.
Phivolcs now advises local officials to inspect buildings to check if they're
still safe and structurally sound.
Those living in elevated areas are also advised to seek temporary shelter
when an intensity 6 tremor strikes. -- Reports from Jeff
Canoy and Zen Hernandez, ABS-CBN News; ANC
Masbate quake injures 10, cracks buildings Ivy
Jean Vibar, ABS-CBNnews.com
MANILA, Philippines (5th UPDATE) - A magnitude 5.2 quake rocked the Bicol
region at 7:06 a.m. on Tuesday, injuring at least 10 people and cracking
buildings in Masbate City.
Volcanologists said the quake was tectonic in origin and had an epicenter
three kilometers north of Masbate. The quake was felt at intensity 6 in Masbate
City and intensity 4 in Sorsogon City.
Meanwhile, it was felt at intensity 3 in Roxas City and intensity 2 in
Legaspi City.
Masbate City Mayor Socrates Tuason said the earthquake caused minor
structural damage in structures and toppled at least 1 building.
"Nagcrack 'yung ibang building," he said in a phone interview. "Mayroong
natumba na isa pero luma na, abandoned na."
According to latest data from the National Disaster Risk Reduction and
Management Council, 10 people were injured in the quake.
They were identified as:
Rex Davida, 8, foot injury, Barangay Bantiqui Masbate City Cesar Garapal, 31,
head injury, Barangay Nursery, Masbate City Jinky Asareas, 16, head injury,
Barangay Nursery, Masbate City Leonard Dimitillar, 3, head injury, Barangay
Centro Masbate City Christine Dicos, 17, foot injury, Barangay Centro Masbate
City Jeho Emilio Antonio, 2, head injury, Barangay Bagumbayan Masbate City
Andrew Mortiga, 3, head injury, Brgy. Batuhan, Masbate City John Nor Buungan, 2,
head/face injury, Brgy. Bapor, Masbate City Liza Tidon, 32, head injury, Brgy.
Batuhan, Masbate City Victoria Dumas,10, Brgy. Batuhan, Masbate City
The quake did not destroy any roads or topple any bridges, Tuason said.
Irvin Perez, a volunteer of the Philippine Red Cross-Masbate chapter, took a
picture of a pawnshop in Masbate City that was heavily damaged by the quake.
Disaster officials said the Jollibee and ML Lhullier buildings in Masbate were
immediately closed for damage assessment.
Masbate Vice Governor Vince Revil, meanwhile, said the quake caused "ripples"
in roads in Masbate City. "Umaalon ang mga daan kanina," he said.
Classes were suspended immediately after the earthquake sparked panic in some
schools. He said some students refused to return to their school buildings after
the quake.
"As of this morning, walang pasok ang kabataan," he said. "Medyo may panic na
nangyari, lalo na sa paaralan dahil kasalukuyang pumapasok sa schools ang mga
bata noong naganap ang lindol."
Local authorities are currently coordinating with the Philippine National
Police and the Army to gather reports from around Masbate, particularly from
areas known for mining, as shafts may have collapsed.
Aftershocks
Phivolcs Director Renato Solidum said a magnitude 3.5 aftershock struck
Masbate at 7:13 a.m., seven minutes after the quake. An aftershock of intensity
2 occurred in Roxas City.
Solidum said it was only coincidental that there have been recent quakes
occurring close to each other. "The other quakes did not cause the movement of
other faults."
In February, moderately strong earthquakes struck Negros and Eastern Samar,
causing some panic among residents.
"These two events were related to movements of faults which are separate. The
Masbate earthquake is due to the movement of the Philippine fault zone. In 2003
this fault moved to generate a magnitude 6.3 quake. This event this morning is
just north of the epicenter of 2003. We expect that earthquakes will occur along
this fault," Solidum said in a phone interview.
"The important thing for our countrymen to remember is that while large
earthquakes do not occur regularly, we must be prepared if strong earthquakes do
occur," Solidum said. With reports from ANC
FROM PHILSTAR
Two strong quakes strike Masbate City in Bicol
region,
City Mayor Socrates Tuason said buildings in the city showed
cracks after the two tremors. Image from Phivolcs
Two strong quakes struck parts of Bicol region this morning, the Philippine
Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) reported.
Phivolcs said the first quake, which was tectonic in origin, struck 7:06
a.m., three kilometers north of Masbate City in Masbate province.
It measured magnitude 5.2 in the Richter scale.
The quake was felt at Intensity 6 in Masbate City, Intensity 4 in Irosin and
Cabid-an towns in Sorsogon City and Intensity 2 in Legaspi City.
Seven minutes after, another quake struck Masbate City in almost the same
spot. The quake measured magnitude 3.7. It was felt at Intensity 5 in Masbate
City and Intensity 2 in Roxas City.
Intensity is described in the Phivolcs' Intensity Scale as "very strong."
It said that in an Intensity 6 eartquake, "many people are frightened, many
run outdoors. Some people lose their balance. Motorists feel like driving with
flat tires."
Masbate City Mayor Socrates Tuason said in a television news interview that
several buildings in the city showed cracks after the eartquake.
Tuason said he has yet to receive reports of casualties from the earthquake.
Following the earthquakes, morning classes in Masbate City were suspended.
Masbate Vice Governor Vince Revil announced over national television that all
morning classes in the city were immediately suspended after the 5.2-magnitude
quake struck at past 7 a.m.
Revil said it was still uncertain if classes will resume at noon. He said
local authorities are assessing the situation in areas hit by the quakes.
PHILIPPINE FAULT 2005 REPORT
The central Philippine Fault Zone: Location of great
earthquakes, slow events, and creep activity
G. M. Besana1,2,3 and M. Ando1 1Research Center for Seismology,
Volcanology, and Disaster Mitigation, Graduate School of Environmental Studies,
Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya 464-8602, Japan 2Philippine
Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS), Department of Science and
Technology, Quezon City, Philippines 1110 3National Institute of Geological
Sciences, University of the Philippines, Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines 1110
(Received November 29, 2004; Revised July 18, 2005; Accepted August 7, 2005)
The central Philippine Fault Zone is found to be the locus of great
earthquakes, a transition zone with slow slip and creep activity.
This is based on the analysis and correlation of seismic historic data and
detailed documentation of recent seismic events in the region.
Based on this study the Guinyangan fault is defined to be the northern locked
portion with recurrence interval of as short as 65 years.
The Masbate fault is the central part with large and medium earthquakes
accompanied by unusually large ground rupture.
The north Central Leyte fault and the south Central Leyte fault, on the other
hand, are characterized by aseismic creep and medium-sized events, usually with
clusters of foreshocks, respectively.
Unusual seismic activity both on the Masbate fault and Central Leyte fault
somehow correlates well with the behavior of known slow events and creep
activity.
Further investigation of this region could lead to deeper understanding of
impending major earthquakes, especially along the Guinyangan fault, which
usually produces larger damaging events, and for further understanding of the
impact of slow events and creep on the adjoining active structures.
Key words: Philippine Fault Zone (PFZ), historical earthquakes, slow
events, creep, Masbate fault, transition zone, Guinyangan fault, Leyte
fault.
G. M. BESANA et
al.: THE CENTRAL PHILIPPINE
FAULT ZONE
Chief News Editor: Sol
Jose Vanzi
© Copyright, 2012 by PHILIPPINE HEADLINE
NEWS ONLINE
All rights reserved
PHILIPPINE HEADLINE NEWS
ONLINE [PHNO] WEBSITE
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