6.3-magnitude offshore earthquake strikes Southern Philippines
Manila, Aug 6
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said a 6.3-magnitude offshore earthquake struck Davao Occidental province in the southern Philippines early Thursday morning.
The institute said the tectonic earthquake occurred at 5:41 a.m. local time at a depth of 10 km, with the epicentre 99 km southwest of the coast of Balut Island, reports Xinhua news agency.
This is the second such earthquake since Wednesday.
Earlier on Wednesday, a 6.4-magnitude offshore earthquake struck Davao Occidental province, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said.
The institute said the tectonic earthquake occurred at 12:14 p.m. local time at a depth of 13 km. It said there is no tsunami threat to the Philippines from the earthquake.
Meanwhile, an earthquake with a magnitude of 6.3 jolted Mindanao, Philippines at 04:14:09 GMT on Wednesday, the GFZ German Research Center for Geosciences said.
The epicentre, with a depth of 10.0 km, was initially determined to be at 5.37 degrees north latitude and 125.45 degrees east longitude.
The Philippines, an archipelagic nation in Southeast Asia, is frequently affected by earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and tsunamis due to its location along the Pacific "Ring of Fire," a vast horseshoe-shaped zone of intense seismic and volcanic activity surrounding the Pacific Ocean.
These recent quakes follow a devastating tremor on June 8 that caused buildings to collapse, triggered landslides, and resulted in at least 76 fatalities on the nearby island of Mindanao. That earthquake shifted the Cotabato trench and raised the seabed by as much as two meters (6.6 feet), damaging coral reefs and harming marine ecosystems.
— IANS
Reader Comments
These repeated quakes in the Pacific Ring of Fire are scary. It's a reminder that we in India also need to be better prepared for natural disasters, especially in the Himalayan belt. Let's hope for minimal damage there.
The Philippines really gets hammered by these tectonic events. At least the early warning systems seem to be working, and no tsunami was triggered. Solidarity with all affected communities.
So close to the devastating June quake that killed so many. I hope the local administration has learned from that and is better prepared this time. Stay safe, Philippines! 🙏
It's concerning to see back-to-back quakes in the same region. The shallow depth makes it more dangerous. Let's hope their building codes and preparedness measures are strong enough to handle these.
It's really sad how the June quake damaged those coral reefs and marine ecosystems. Nature is interconnected - we all need to think about long-term recovery, not just immediate relief. India should be ready to help if needed.
These Ring of Fire earthquakes just keep coming. The Philippines are resilient, but repeated disasters take a toll on any community. Hope international aid and support arrive quickly.
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