Aftershocks may trigger landslides, Phivolcs warns

MANILA, Philippines - State seismologists yesterday warned residents of Central Visayas against landslides and other dangers as strong aftershocks continued to rattle the region, exactly a month after a magnitude-7.2 earthquake struck the region.

Bartolome Bautista, deputy director of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs), advised people to avoid steep slopes especially “if there are signs that the ground is loose.”

Rains from Super Typhoon Yolanda and Tropical Depression Zoraida also made the soil in many parts of Central Visayas loose and soggy, Bautista said.

Phivolcs said two aftershocks with magnitudes 4.6 and 3.2 struck Tagbilaran City, Bohol at 2:13 a.m. and 8:05 a.m., respectively, yesterday.