BUTUAN CITY – A 5.0-magnitude earthquake hit the agricultural-rich province of Bukidnon in Northern Mindanao region on Tuesday morning, Dec. 20, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said.
In its bulletin, Phivolcs said the earthquake was recorded at 5:44 a.m.
The epicenter was plotted just seven kilometers northeast of Kalilangan town in Bukidnon, the state agency said.
The tremor had a shallow depth of three kms, Phivolcs said.
Intensity V was registered Amai Manabilang, Lanao del Sur while Intensity IV also recorded at Kalilangan, Bukidnon; Kapatagan, Malabang, and Wao, Lanao del Sur; Barira, and Matanog, Maguindanao; and City of Cotabato.
Intensity III was recorded in Damulog, Dangcagan, Don Carlos, Kadingilan, Libona, Maramag, Pangantucan, Quezon, and Talakag, all in Bukidnon; Intensity II in Cabanglasan, Lantapan, City of Malaybalay, San Fernando, and city of Valencia, Bukidnon; and City of Cagayan De Oro.
Intensity I was recorded in Malitbog, Bukidnon and Villanueva in Misamis Oriental province.
Meanwhile, at 8:35 a.m. of this same day, a 2.6-magnitude tectonic earthquake was also registered and its epicenter was traced only six kms northwest of that same town of Kalilangan, with a shallow depth of only four kms.
In its instrumental Intensity, Phivolcs also said in its latest advisory that Intensity II was recorded in Kalilangan town of that same province.
The two tremors were tectonic in origin and the state agency is expecting aftershocks and damages.
However, as of this writing, the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) in Southern Mindanao region and Davao Oriental Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC) there reported no damage or injury.