BUTUAN CITY – A 5.1 magnitude earthquake hit Siargao Island, Surigao del Norte province in Northeastern Mindanao (The Caraga region) Thursday evening (April 28), the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said.
In its bulletin, Phivolcs said the tremor was recorded at 7:42 p.m.
The epicenter was plotted only 21 kilometers southeast of Burgos town, Siargao Island, Surigao del Norte province.
The tremor had a depth of only 22 kms, Phivolcs said.
The state agency also registered Intensity 5 at the town proper of this Burgos town facing the Pacific Ocean while Intensity 4 was registered in nearby municipalities of Dapa and Del Carmen in Surigao del Norte province.
Intensity 3 was recorded in Surigao City and San Francisco town, also in Surigao del Norte and Liloan, Southern Leyte. It was intensity 2 in Bayugan City, Agusan del Sur and Julita, La Paz, and Palo, Leyte and intensity 1 in Dulag, also in Leyte.
In its Instrumental Intensities, Phivolcs also said Intensity 3 was registered in Surigao City; San Francisco, Southern Leyte and intensity 2 in Abuyog and Hilongos, Leyte and Saint Bernard in Southern Leyte, and Cabadbaran City, Agusan del Norte.
Intensity 1 was registered in Dulag and Palo, Leyte; Sogod, Southern Leyte; and Gingoog City in Misamis Oriental.
The earthquake was tectonic in origin and the state agency is expecting aftershocks.
As of reporting time, Surigao del Norte Gov. Atty. Francisco T. Matugas was still awaiting a report from his different rescue teams from Surigao del Norte provincial disaster risk reduction and management council (PDRRMC) on the situation of the residents, especially those residing in coastal areas.
“But as of this time no reported damage or casualty from our rescue teams,” said the provincial chief executive, in a phone interview.