Magnitude 5.8 quake shakes Leyte; 2 injured

TACLOBAN CITY, Philippines — Two persons were injured when a 5.8-magnitude earthquake jolted parts of Leyte on Friday night.

Citing a report of the Dulag Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (MDRRMO), the Office of Civil Defense said a 26-year-old pregnant woman fainted and fell from a flight of stairs while a 27-year-old woman jumped from the second floor of a store.

The pregnant woman was taken to a rural health center for treatment.

No tsunami alert was raised, but residents of coastal areas evacuated to higher ground.

There are nine coastal barangays in Dulag – San Jose, San Rafael, Luan, Buntay, Sungi, Sabang, Daguitan, Catmonan and Rizal.

Residents were ordered to return to their homes at 7:30 p.m., according to MDRRMO officer Leah Maasin.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said the epicenter of the quake was traced 39 kilometers northeast of Abuyog.

The quake was initially recorded as a magnitude 6.0.

The shaking was felt at Intensity 6, which is classified as “very strong,” in Abuyog.

The quake was felt at Intensity 5 or strong in Burauen, Dulag, La Paz, MacArthur, Mahaplag, Tabontabon and Tolosa in Leyte and Hinunangan, Hinundayan and Silag in Southern Leyte.

It was felt at Intensity 4 or moderately strong in Jagna, Bohol; Borongan, Balangiga, General MacArthur, Giporlos, Hernani, Lawaan, Llorente and Quinapondan in Eastern Samar.

The same intensity was felt in Tacloban, Ormoc and Baybay cities as well as Barugo, Calubian, Dagami, Hilongos, Jaro, Javier, Julita, Kananga, Palo, Pastrana, San Miguel, Sta. Fe and Carigara in Leyte; Basey, Samar, and Malitbog and Sogod in Southern Leyte.

Phivolcs said damage and aftershocks were expected from the quake.