DAVAO CITY, Philippines -- Three earthquakes occurred in Mindanao in a span of 12 hours since Friday afternoon but no damage to property has been reported so far.
The latest tremor, with a magnitude of 3.3, shook some parts of the island at 3:35 a.m. Saturday.
But the government agency monitoring quakes said the latest tremor on the island, as with the early ones, was tectonic in origin.
Janilla de Ocampo, officer in charge of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology in Southern Mindanao, said the latest quake was traced 30 kilometers north-east of Butuan City and had a depth of 11 kilometers.
It was felt at Intensity 3 in Cabadbaran, Agusan del Norte. (Intensity 3 means that the movement or shaking caused by the tremor is felt indoors.)
De Ocampo said no damage and aftershocks were expected.
Around 12:18 a.m., also on Saturday, a 5.3 quake shook General Santos City and nearby areas including this city and other parts of Southern and Central Mindanao.
The quake's epicenter was traced 76 kilometers south-east of the city, which suffered an Intensity 4 jolt, Phivolcs said in an advisory. (Intensity 4 means the shaking is felt by almost all people indoors and outdoors by some people. The earthquake could be strong enough as to shake parked cars.)
Although no structural damage was expected from the 12:18 a.m. tremor, Phivolcs said it had projected aftershocks.
The stronger quake that hit Mindanao in 12 hours was recorded earlier, at 4:37 p.m. Friday with a magnitude of 5.5.
It was triggered by the movement of the Philippine Trench, a Phivolcs advisory said.
The epicenter of Friday's tremor was traced at 92 kilometers off the coast of Mati, Davao Oriental and had a depth of 161 kilometers.
It did not cause any damage but Phivolcs said aftershocks were also expected.
Friday's quake was felt at Intensity 3 in Bislig City, Surigao del Sur; Davao City; Mati, Taragona and Caraga, Davao Oriental; Padada and Malita, Davao del Sur; Intensity 2 in Cateel, Davao Oriental; Tagum City; Digos City and Sta Cruz, Davao del Sur; General Santos City; Koronadal, South Cotabato; Cagayan de Oro City and Intensity 1 in La Paz, Agusan del Sur; Kabacan, North Cotabato; Samal Island, Davao del Norte.
The deadliest quake that hit Mindanao took place in August 1976, when a magnitude 7.6-tremor triggered tsunami and flattened millions of pesos worth of properties.
At least 3,000 people were killed in the earthquake that affected the areas surrounding the Moro Gulf and parts of Zamboanga peninsula.
The Philippines sits on the so-called Pacific Ring of Fire, where quakes are a regular occurrence although most of them are too weak to be felt.
Reports from Joselle Badilla, Frinston Lim, Dennis Santos, Inquirer Mindanao
But the government agency monitoring quakes said the latest tremor on the island, as with the early ones, was tectonic in origin.
Janilla de Ocampo, officer in charge of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology in Southern Mindanao, said the latest quake was traced 30 kilometers north-east of Butuan City and had a depth of 11 kilometers.
It was felt at Intensity 3 in Cabadbaran, Agusan del Norte. (Intensity 3 means that the movement or shaking caused by the tremor is felt indoors.)
De Ocampo said no damage and aftershocks were expected.
Around 12:18 a.m., also on Saturday, a 5.3 quake shook General Santos City and nearby areas including this city and other parts of Southern and Central Mindanao.
The quake's epicenter was traced 76 kilometers south-east of the city, which suffered an Intensity 4 jolt, Phivolcs said in an advisory. (Intensity 4 means the shaking is felt by almost all people indoors and outdoors by some people. The earthquake could be strong enough as to shake parked cars.)
Although no structural damage was expected from the 12:18 a.m. tremor, Phivolcs said it had projected aftershocks.
The stronger quake that hit Mindanao in 12 hours was recorded earlier, at 4:37 p.m. Friday with a magnitude of 5.5.
It was triggered by the movement of the Philippine Trench, a Phivolcs advisory said.
The epicenter of Friday's tremor was traced at 92 kilometers off the coast of Mati, Davao Oriental and had a depth of 161 kilometers.
It did not cause any damage but Phivolcs said aftershocks were also expected.
Friday's quake was felt at Intensity 3 in Bislig City, Surigao del Sur; Davao City; Mati, Taragona and Caraga, Davao Oriental; Padada and Malita, Davao del Sur; Intensity 2 in Cateel, Davao Oriental; Tagum City; Digos City and Sta Cruz, Davao del Sur; General Santos City; Koronadal, South Cotabato; Cagayan de Oro City and Intensity 1 in La Paz, Agusan del Sur; Kabacan, North Cotabato; Samal Island, Davao del Norte.
The deadliest quake that hit Mindanao took place in August 1976, when a magnitude 7.6-tremor triggered tsunami and flattened millions of pesos worth of properties.
At least 3,000 people were killed in the earthquake that affected the areas surrounding the Moro Gulf and parts of Zamboanga peninsula.
The Philippines sits on the so-called Pacific Ring of Fire, where quakes are a regular occurrence although most of them are too weak to be felt.
Reports from Joselle Badilla, Frinston Lim, Dennis Santos, Inquirer Mindanao
