The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) on Sunday, Oct. 4, said the light to moderate earthquakes felt in various parts of the Philippines from Saturday to early Sunday is normal as the country usually records around 20 tremors per day.
At least seven earthquakes with magnitudes between 4.0 and 4.8 were recorded a few hours apart in various parts of the country from Saturday until early Sunday.
On Sunday, 4.5 and 4.4-magnitude earthquakes were recorded at 6:19 a.m. and 2:32 a.m., respectively—both originated from Bayabas, Surigao del Sur.
Phivolcs recorded on Saturday a 4.6-magnitude tremor at 10:15 p.m, originated from 12 kilometers (km) southwest of Camiling, Tarlac; 4.6-magnitude quake at 8:29 p.m. (200 km southeast of Jose Abad Santos, Davao Occidental); 4.0-magnitude earthquake at 1:48 p.m. (8 km southeast of Hernani, Eastern Samar); 4.8-magnitude temblor at 1:03 p.m. (19 km northwest of Abra de Ilog, Occidental Mindoro); and 4.8-magnitude quake at 11: 25 a.m. (Governor Generoso, Davao Oriental).
Science and Technology Undersecretary and Phivolcs Director Renato Solidum said these earthquakes were not connected with each other as they are generated by different faults transecting the country.
Solidum also pointed out that it is normal to have felt earthquakes reported in various parts of the country as Phivolcs normally records around 20 earthquakes per day.
Most of these earthquakes, however, are not felt and can only be detected by a seismograph.
The Philippines is situated in a tectonically active region called the “Pacific Ring of Fire,” where numerous earthquakes and volcanic eruptions occur.