BATANES – A 5.4-magnitude quake hit Batanes province Sunday morning, August 16, according to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs).
The earthquake, which struck at 10:53 a.m., was tectonic in nature, and was recorded 57 km southeast of Sabtang Islands with a depth of only two kilometers.
Authorities initially said that there was no expected damage, and that aftershocks were possible.
However, an old stone house in the province's capital of Basco was partially destroyed after its roof collapsed due to the earthquake.
Residents also rushed to outside their homes to ensure that their water supply was intact, as previous earthquakes led to water loss in the province.
Authorities reminded the public to stay prepared and vigilant as aftershocks could still occur.
Moreover, they also urged the residents to immediately report to authorities other damages that were caused by the Sunday tremor.