Phivolcs: Weeks more of aftershocks seen from Surigao quake

AFTERSHOCKS from the magnitude 7.4 quake that rocked Hinatuan town in Surigao del Sur last Saturday may continue in the next several weeks, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said yesterday.

In another town in Surigao del Sur, a magnitude 6.8 earthquake was recorded yesterday.

The quake in Cagwait town occurred at 3:49 a.m. Its epicenter was some 67 km northeast of Cagwait. It was tectonic in origin and had a depth of one km. As of 5 p.m. yesterday, 326 aftershocks, ranging from magnitude 1.8 to 5.7 have been recorded.

The two earthquakes are not related, Phivolcs said.

On the Hinatuan quake, Phivolcs said 2,047 aftershocks ranging from magnitude 1.4 to 6.6 have been recorded, also as of 5 p.m. yesterday.

“This will probably last for several days to several weeks. So we really have to brace ourselves for aftershocks in the next few weeks,” Phivolcs director Teresito Bacolcol said in a radio interview, referring to the Hinatuan quake.

Bacolcol nevertheless said aftershocks are expected to become less frequent “as time passes.”

In a public briefing, Bacolcol said, “Based on the previous earthquake that we had, aftershocks will usually last for several days to several weeks. But as time passes, the number declines and they become weaker.”

The quake in Hinatuan was tectonic in origin and had a depth of 26 km. Its epicenter was some 29 km northeast of Hinatuan, town.

Phivolcs said it is not expecting damage from the Cagwait quake.

Liza Mazo, director of the Office of Civil Defense-Caraga, said the quake left two people dead.

Citing information from the provincial government, Mazo said one of the fatalities was pinned down by a collapsed wall in Bislig City.

The other, Mazo said, died in Barobo town. She did not say the cause of death.
Mazo said nine were reported injured in the province.

Officials earlier said a pregnant woman died after she was pinned down by a collapsed wall in Tagum City in Davao del Norte.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said its official death toll is one, but said they are verifying a report about a second fatality.

Mazo said classes in 12 local government units in Surigao del Sur have