Quake leaves GMA 'speechless'

MANILA, Philippines - A magnitude 6.1 earthquake left President Arroyo speechless before teachers and students of the Florencio L. Vargas College in Tuguegarao City, Cagayan yesterday.

Midway through her speech on the North Luzon Agribusiness Quadrangle (NLQA) super region, Mrs. Arroyo stopped when she felt the ground move.

“Oops, there’s an earthquake,” the President said in the middle of enumerating the accomplishments in the NLQA, of which Cagayan is a part.

The entire gymnasium fell silent for around five seconds and then they all gasped, including the President who let out a “wow,” at the strength of the earthquake.

“Let’s pray that it will not be anything like Chile or Haiti,” the President urged the audience, before continuing her speech.

Chile was hit by a magnitude 8.8 earthquake last Saturday, resulting in the deaths of over 700 people. Haiti, on the other hand, was struck by a 7.0 tremor where more than 200,000 people died.

President Arroyo was on the second leg of her NLQA super region tour yesterday, after visiting Baguio City and Nueva Ecija the day before.

The earthquake did not keep the President from going to her other appointments in Isabela, which focused on the effects of El Niño on crops and agriculture.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Philvolcs) said the tremor’s epicenter was traced at 130 kilometers northeast of Tuguegarao.

There were no immediate reports of damage or injuries, Phivolcs director Renato Solidum said.

He said that for the past two days, earthquakes of strong magnitude have been felt in some parts of the country but these have not caused any damage or casualties.

He said yesterday’s quake, which struck at 10:51 a.m., was felt at Intensity 5 in Aparri and Sta. Ana, Cagayan; Intensity 4 in Vigan, Ilocos Sur; and Intensity 3 in Tuguegarao City and Peñablanca, Cagayan; Batac, Laoag and Pasuquin, Ilocos Norte; and Palanan, Isabela.

Intensity 2 was felt in Santa, Ilocos Sur; Delfin Albano, Isabela and Intensity 1 in Metro Manila.

Solidum also clarified that the tremor was not related to the Chile earthquake.

The Philippines lies on the so-called “Pacific Ring of Fire” where earthquakes and volcanic eruptions frequently occur. - With Charlie Lagasca