The Philippine Online Chronicles

At least two predawn quakes shook parts of Batanes on Tuesday, the latest in a series of tremors felt in Northern Luzon for the past couple of days.

According to Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) chief Renato Solidum Jr., the quakes, which were measured at Magnitudes 5.1 and 4.8, posed little chance of causing damage, especially to property.

“Kung titignan natin ang ating bansa, 'di pa masyadong damaging sa atin ang lindol kasi ang bahay, kung hindi nipa o kawayan o kahoy, may konkreto na may gamit na kaunting bakal. So 'di pa damaging ang Magnitude-5 na lindol (A magnitude-5 earthquake is not likely to cause any serious damage, especially here in the Philippines where houses are made of nipa, bamboo and wood, some of concrete and steel),” said Solidum on dzXL radio.

Solidum added that Batanes has been “the site of a 'seismic swarm' or a series of small quakes in the past years” and that the tremors are not likely to cause that much damage.

The first quake was recorded at Magnitude 5.1 with the epicenter at 35 kilometers south southeast of Basco, Batanes at 1:22 a.m. The temblor was felt at Intensity V in Uyugan and Intensity IV in Sabtang.

The second earthquake, much milder at Magnitude 4.8, was felt at Intensity III in Uyugan and Sabtang.

Also, a Magnitude-3.5 earthquake was felt in parts of Leyte in the early morning of Sunday. The epicenter was recorded 31 kilometers from the capital Ormoc City and was felt at Intensity II in the towns of Capoocan and Leyte.

On Monday, a Magnitude-5.0 quake jolted parts of Davao Oriental.

Strong quake hit Tuguegarao, PGMA 'rocked' onstage

Last month, a Magnitude-5.8 earthquake struck Tuguegarao City in Cagayan and was felt in several neighboring provinces in Northern Luzon.

The quake was felt at Intensity V in Sta. Ana and Aparri in Cagayan; Intensity IV in Vigan, Ilocos Sur; Intensity III in Tuguegarao and Penablanca in Cagayan, Pasuquin, Batac, and Laoag in Ilocos Norte, and Palanan in Isabela, and Intensity II in Delfin Albano, Isabela, and Santa, Ilocos Sur.

The tremor was slightly felt at the Manila Ocean Park at Intensity I.

President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, who was addressing students at the F.L. Vargas College in Tuguegarao City, paused in her speech and gripped the podium.

“Oops, there's an earthquake,” she said. The trembler lasted for about five seconds.

“Let's pray its not anything like Chile or Haiti,” she said as she composed herself and resumed her speech on promoting agribusiness in the region.

In January, a devastating Magnitude-7.0 earthquake shook Haiti, leaving almost 500,000 dead and billions in infrastructure destroyed. Last month, a Magnitude-8.8 quake hit Chile, almost a thousand times stronger than that in Haiti. Rescue and relief operations are still ongoing while thousands are still unaccounted for.

Earthquake preparedness tips

The Philippines sits on the "Pacific Ring of Fire" where the continental plates collide, causing frequent seismic and volcanic activity. According to Phivolcs, about 20 earthquakes hit the country everyday but only a few of these are actually felt.

The website emergencypreparednessinfo.com has outlined different steps to ensure safety in the event of a strong earthquake:

1. Prepare earthquake packs and emergency kits containing first aid medicines and food packs that can be eaten right out of the packet. Also secure extra flashlights and batteries.

2. The most important thing to remember when there is an earthquake is to duck and keep away from everything heavy that may fall on anyone. Seek refuge from tables that can protect a person from heavy objects that could fall from anywhere. When this is not practical, a person should immediately go out and proceed to an open area without the danger of falling trees, high rises or power cables.

3. Those who are caught driving when the earthquake occurs should stay inside their cars. When inside the grocery or malls, the person should stay away from heavy shelves and other objects. When inside a movie theater or sports stadium, never run for safety and join the hundreds of people doing the same, duck under the seats and wait until everything clears up.

4. It is always helpful to prepare an emergency earthquake plan in your building even if earthquakes are not common in the area.

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