MANILA, Philippines - A magnitude 5.4 earthquake hit Southern Leyte yesterday morning, according to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs).
The tremor occurred at 7:57 a.m. and was centered some eight kilometers southwest of Hinundayan, Southern Leyte, Phivolcs said.
It was felt at Intensity 6 in Hinundayan; Hinunangan and Saint Bernard, Southern Leyte; Intensity 5 in Anahawan, Southern Leyte; and Intensity 4 in Tacloban City, Maasin City, and San Ricardo, all in Southern Leyte; Dulag, Leyte; and Loreto, Dinagat Islands.
The quake was also felt at Intensity 3 in Palo and Pastrana, Leyte; Intensity 2 in Cebu City, Talisay City, Bogo City, Surigao City, Ormoc City, and Burgos, Surigao del Norte; and Intensity 1 in Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu.
Phivolcs describes an Intensity 6 quake as “very strong” and may cause damage to “very old or poorly built houses and other structures.” – Helen Flores, Ricky Bautista