Earthquake hits Metro Manila, Mindoro

MANILA, Philippines - An earthquake measuring 6.1 magnitude rocked parts of Mindoro with a milder tremor hitting Metro Manila yesterday, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said.

Phivolcs director Renato Solidum said the tremor occurred at 2:23 p.m. and was centered 116 kilometers southwest of Calapan, Oriental Mindoro.

The quake was felt at Intensity 4 in Mamburao, Occidental Mindoro; Boac, Marinduque; and Batangas City; Intensity 3 in the cities of Makati, Pasay and Manila; Lucban, Quezon and Dasmari­ñas, Cavite; and Intensity 2 in Malay, Aklan and Guinayangan, Quezon.

Solidum said they are expecting aftershocks as a result of the magnitude 6 earthquake.

Magnitude refers to the measure of energy of an earthquake specified on the Richter scale.

The intensity, on the other hand, is a measure of the severity of shaking and its attendant damage on the surface of the earth.

The Philippines sits on the “Pacific Ring of Fire” where continental plates meet, causing frequent seismic and volcanic activity.

About 20 earthquakes hit the country everyday but only a few are felt, Phivolcs said.         – Helen Flores