An earthquake with a magnitude of 6.6 was registered in the province of Masbate in Bicol region today in the Philippines. The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) has confirmed the earthquake. Based on the earthquake bulletin released by the Phivolcs, this shallow earthquake which struck at 8:03 am was of tectonic origin, and had a 21-kilometer depth. Shallow earthquakes tend to be more damaging. The epicenter of the earthquake was recorded in the town of Cataingan, which reported an intensity VII (destructive category) shaking.
One retired police officer was reportedly killed after being crushed by falling debris in his house in the town of Cataingan. The provincial administrator of Masbate also said that there are several persons who remain missing.
Preliminary photos and videos circulating on Facebook and Twitter show the impact of the quake:
- Injured children and adults
- Patients, including elderlies, in the Cataingan District Hospital were evacuated in open fields
- Collapsed infrastructures and houses that are made of concrete and light materials
- Cracked walls of houses and fences
- Damaged furniture and household materials
- Cracked concrete pavements/roads and bridges
- Damaged public structures: Cataingan port, municipal police station, Public Attorney’s Office, and both old and new public markets
- Toppled power lines
According to the Masbate Electric Coop Inc., there will be unscheduled power interruption in Masbate due to the damage brought by the earthquake.
| Intensity | Areas Affected
(Reported Intensities) |
Areas Affected
(Instrumental Intensities) |
| Intensity VII (Destructive) | - Cataingan, Masbate | - |
| Intensity V (Strong) | - City of Masbate, Masbate; Almagro, and Tagapul-an, Samar | - Masbate City, Masbate |
| Intensity IV (Moderately Strong) | - Palanas, and San Jacinto, Masbate; City of Sorsogon, Sorsogon; City of Legazpi, Albay; San Andres, Quezon; Mapanas, and Palapag, Northern Samar; Barugo, Dagami, Dulag, Julita, La Paz, Palo, and Tanauan, Leyte; City of Sagay, Negros Occidental |
- Palo, Leyte; City of Iloilo; City of Roxas, Capiz; Naval, Biliran; |
| Intensity III (Week) | - City of Baybay, Isabel, Javier, and Kananga, Leyte; Ormoc City; Mulanay, Quezon; City of Iloilo | - City of Bago, Negros Occidental; Malinao, Aklan; Pandan, Antique; Jamindan, Capiz; Ormoc City |
| Intensity II
(Slightly Felt) |
- Guinayangan and Lopez, Quezon; President Roxas, Capiz; Patnongon, Patnongon, San Jose de Buenavista, and Tibiao, Antique | - Gumaca, Quezon; San Jose de Buenavista, Antique; City of Sipalay, Negros Occidental; Valderrama, Antique; Sipocot, Camarines Sur; Talibon, Bohol; San Francisco, Cebu |
| Intensity I (Scarcely Perceptible) | - Lezo, Aklan; City of Dumaguete, Negros Oriental | - Malay, Aklan; City of Gingoog, Misamis Oriental |
Humanitarian Advisors will continue to monitor the humanitarian impact of today's earthquake.