2 more quakes jolt Batanes

BASCO, Batanes, Philippines – Local folk were shaken from their sleep early yesterday, as two earthquakes struck this northernmost province.          

A magnitude 5 earthquake occurred at 1:22 a.m. with its epicenter traced at 35 kilometers south of this capital town.

It was felt at Intensity 5 in the southernmost municipality of Uyugan, and Intensity 4 here and in the island town of Sabtang.

Minutes later at around 1:40 a.m., another tremor of magnitude 4.8, with epicenter at 31 kilometers southeast of Basco, struck. It was felt at Intensity 3 here and in Sabtang and Uyugan towns.

A similar temblor struck the province last March 4 after Taiwan, its northern neighbor, was jolted by a magnitude 6.4 earthquake.

On July 15, 2000, a magnitude 6.9 magnitude earthquake caused severe damage to several homes in this province.

Renato Solidum, director of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, said Batanes is experiencing an “earthquake swarm” consisting of a series of quakes of a similar range of magnitudes without a distinct main shock.

He said Batanes experienced a similar earthquake swarm in 2004.       

While there were no reported damage or injuries in the recent spate of tremors, authorities are becoming concerned because these could weaken infrastructure.

Despite the continuing tremors, local authorities have not conducted any earthquake drills.

“While local disaster units have their plans and programs, these are only on paper,” a businessman said. – With Helen Flores