MANILA - A magnitude 5.7 earthquake jolted Surigao del Sur on Friday, state seismologists said.
Based on the updated report of Phivolcs, the tremor was downgraded from 5.8 magnitude.
The tremor struck 44 kilometers northeast of Hinatuan town at 2:06 p.m., state seismologists said.
It was tectonic in origin and had a depth of 14 kilometers, according to Phivolcs.
Here are the reported intensities:
Intensity V - Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur
Intensity IV - Bislig City, Surigao del Sur; Nabunturan and Mawab, Davao de Oro
Intensity III - Tandag City, Maco, Maragusan, Davao de Oro; Manay and Mati, Davao Oriental; Davao City; Gingoog City and Magsaysay, Misamis Oriental
Intensity II - Laak, Davao de Oro; Balingasag, Jasaan, Villanueva and Tagoloan, Misamis Oriental; Cagayan de Oro City; Quezon, Maramag, Valencia City,
Malaybalay City, Cabanglasan, and Manolo Fortich, Bukidnon; Rosario, Agusan Del Sur
Intensity I - Mambajao, Catarman and Sagay, Camiguin; Kalilangan and Pangantucan, Bukidnon
Instrumental Intensities:
Intensity III - Bislig City, Surigao del Sur
Intensity II - Gingoog City, Misamis Oriental
Intensity I - Surigao City, Cagayan de Oro City, Kidapawan City; Tupi South Cotabato; Malungon and Alabel, Sarangani
The tremor is expected to cause damage and spawn aftershocks.
news.abs-cbn.com
SYDNEY/WELLINGTON - Strong aftershocks rocked Papua New Guinea's remote and rugged highlands on Monday, a week after a deadly magnitude 7.5 earthquake killed at least 31 people.
Three aftershocks stronger than magnitude 5 shook the mountainous Southern Highlands, about 600 km (370 miles) northwest of the capital Port Moresby early on Monday, the U.S. Geological Survey said, including a shallow magnitude 6 quake.
"We haven't slept. It's been shaking all through the night," said William Bando, provincial administrator of Hela Province, by telephone from Tari, about 40 km from where the shocks hit.
"What we experienced this morning could have caused more damage, but we don't know ... it almost threw me out of bed."
The national disaster centre in Port Moresby could not immediately be reached by telephone.
The strong tremors hit a region already badly damaged by the magnitude 7.5 quake that struck on Feb. 26, the largest to hit the seismically-active highlands in nearly a century, triggering landslides, flattening buildings and closing oil and gas operations.
While the region has no major urban centers, around 670,000 people live within 100 km (62 miles) of the epicenter, according to the Red Cross.
At least 13 people were killed when hamlets nearest the epicenter were buried. Most of the other casualties were in the provincial capital of Mendi and the township of Tari, officials told Reuters.
The quake has been felt on global natural gas markets, with ExxonMobil Corp declaring force majeure on exports from Papua New Guinea, according to an industry source, pushing Asian spot liquefied natural gas (LNG) prices 5 percent higher.
The company declined to comment.
Aid agencies have said nearly 150,000 people remain in urgent need of emergency supplies.
Australia, New Zealand and the Red Cross have all pledged aid, though reaching the remote area has proven challenging as forbidding terrain, bad weather, as well as damaged roads and runways have delayed aid efforts.
"The rugged terrain and loss of communications in the area impacted means it is taking time to build a complete picture of the damage but we know that tens of thousands of people are reported as requiring humanitarian assistance," New Zealand Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters said in a statement on Monday.
source: news.abs-cbn.com
