Quake jolts Mindanao

A 6.2 magnitude earthquake shook parts of Mindanao Monday night but caused no damage and casualties, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said yesterday.

In its advisory, Phivolcs said the quake was recorded at around 8:45 p.m. on Monday, with the epicenter located at 242 kilometers southeast of General Santos City.

The tectonic quake was felt at Intensity 3 in Davao City and Intensity 2 in General Santos City.

Aftershocks are expected, it added.

Phivolcs said the quake was caused by a deformation of “subducted slab” along Sangihe Trench in Eastern Indonesia.

Tectonic pertains to the structure or movement of the earth’s crust.

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 a day but only few are felt. – Helen Flores