No damage reported as Intensity 5 quake jolts Bicol Friday

By Marlon A. Loterte

Monday 3rd of September 2012

LEGAZPI CITY, Sept. 3 (PIA) -- The minute-long magnitude 7.6 earthquake that shook the provinces of Samar, Leyte, and Surigao at about 8:47 p.m. of August 31 was also felt in the Bicol region with lesser magnitude - Intensity 5.

Ed Laguerta, Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Philvolcs) Legazpi resident volcanologist said that their instruments located the quake’s epicenter at 10.83 degrees north and 126.71 degrees east of Guiuan, Eastern Samar with depth of 10 kilometers.

There were no reports of casualties or damage to property.

In Masbate, the tsunami alert 3 declared by Philvolcs in threatened coastal areas prompted disaster managers to keep watch the whole night.

The Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (PDRRMO) in Catanduanes advised the public to remain alert and be observant especially those living in coastal areas in the eastern seaboard despite the absence of tsunami alert warning.

Camarines Norte PDRRMO Officer Carlos Galvez also alerted people living in coastal areas for possible evacuation.

The local tsunami warning has been lifted by Philvolcs at about 12:10 a.m. of September 1.

Office of the Civil Defense regional director Raffy ALejandro meanwhile reported that the earthquake caused no damage to Bicol area, also noting that the series of regular earthquake drills among Bicolano bolstered preparedness of the residents. (MAL/SAA-PIA5, ALbay)