Tremor Hits Manila, No Damage Reported
A mild earthquake struck parts of Metro Manila, the capital of the Philippines, at around 2:24 PM local time today, Sept. 18. The magnitude three (3) tremor alarmed some residents and office workers in tall buildings who felt the jolt several stories up.
According to officials of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS), the earthquake’s epicenter was located 116 kilometers (72 miles) southwest of Calapan town, located in the nearby island province of Mindoro. Seismologists say that the origin of the tremor was tectonic. Specialists also pointed to the sudden shifting action along the Manila trench as the cause of the mild jolt.
Cities in the southern portion of the metropolis felt the magnitude 3 earthquake for several seconds while provinces further south experienced a mere magnitude 2 tremor. Towns and villages closer to the epicenter felt the ground shake at a stronger magnitude 4.
Despite the tremor, no tsunami alerts have been issued by the PHIVOLCS or other multi-national monitoring agencies. No damage were reported by government officials as well. There were also no reports of any injuries or deaths as a result of the earthquake.
According to the United States Geological Survey, the exact location of the epicenter was 234 kilometers (145 miles) southwest of the Philippine capital.
The country sits along the Pacific ring of fire and is prone to earthquakes, frequent volcanic activities, and tectonic movements. The most devastating earthquake to have hit the country in recent memory was in July 16, 1990 when a magnitude 7.7 tremor struck the mountainous northern regions of Luzon, Philippine’s biggest island. Some 1,000 people died, mostly in Baguio City, the country’s summer capital and a famous tourist destination when hotels and buildings collapsed.