A major 7.6 earthquake hit the sea area east of the Philippines on Friday and a tsunami warning was issued for the archipelago, Indonesia, Taiwan and Japan, US seismologists said.
The US Geological Survey (USGS) said the quake had a depth of 34 kilometers (21 miles) and hit at 8:47 p.m. (1247 GMT) some 139 kilometers east of the city of Sulangan, eastern Samar.
A tsunami warning was also issued for Papua New Guinea and Guam, and a tsunami watch was in effect for the Solomon Islands, Marshall Islands and Nauru, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center (PTWC) said in a bulletin.
The warning center said any wave generated by the quake would be expected to hit Indonesia first, at 1335 GMT.
It would then be due to hit the Philippines at 1338 GMT or 9:38 p.m. local time.
"An earthquake of this size has the potential to generate a destructive tsunami that can strike coastlines in the region near the epicenter within minutes to hours," the center said.
The PTWC later lifted the tsunami alert for Japan, Taiwan and several Pacific islands but kept it in place for the Philippines and Indonesia.
The USGS earlier said the earthquake was a magnitude 7.9, but later downgraded it to a 7.6.
Intensity
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said it was a magnitude 7.7 earthquake.
The earthquake’s epicenter was recorded at the Philippine trench, between Samar Island and Mindanao at 8:47 p.m.
According to Phivolcs, the following intensities were felt in provinces near the quake’s epicenter:
Intensity VII - Guian, Oras, Sulat, Borongan City, Eastern Samar
Intensity VI - Siargao, Surigao del Norte; Tacloban City; Palo Leyte; Saint Bernard, S. Leyte
Intensity V - Mati City; Compostela; Compostela; Legaspi City; Iloilo City; Beilig City; Iligan City
Intensity IV - Butuan City, Catbalogan City, Butuan City, Cagayan De Oro City
Intensity III- Cotabato City, Mambajao, Camiguin, General Santos City;
Intensity II - Marawi, Sipalay City
Tsunami alert
Phivolcs specialist Jane Punongbayan said residents in the coastal areas of northern Samar, eastern Samar, Leyte, southern Leyte, Surigao del Sur and Surigao del Sur are advised to evacuate their homes due to a tsunami alert warning number 3.
Punongbayan said Philvolcs is monitoring a possible tsunami and that the warning will be remain for 2 hours after the earthquake.
“Magbabantay tayo hanggang 10:47, kung walang mangyaring tsunami, medyo ibababa natin ‘yung alert. Pero as of now to be safe, itataas natin ‘yung alert level 3,” she said.
She also advised residents not to panic, but to swiftly move to higher ground at least 10 meters above sea level. -- With reports from AFP; Dennis Datu, dzMM
source: abs-cbnnews.com
