6.4-Magnitude Earthquake Hits Occidental Mindoro and Nearby Areas

An earthquake with a magnitude of 6.4 rocked Occidental Mindoro and nearby areas, including parts of Metro Manila, around 5:05 AM, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) reported on March 14.

The epicenter of the earthquake was at 110 km northwest of Lubang, a town in Occidental Mindoro, at a shallow depth of 29 km. The origin was tectonic. PHIVOLCS initially measured this morning’s earthquake at magnitude 5.7, but later revised it to 6.4.

Lieutenant Aristotle Calayag, the acting chief of police of Lubang said, "It's strong and it's shaking as if it's dancing sideways."

The reported intensities are as follows: Intensity III (Mandaluyong, Makati, Quezon City, and Taguig) and Intensity II (Talisay, Batangas). The rest of Luzon were placed under instrumental intensities. While there’s no expected damage, the public is advised to stay vigilant as aftershocks may occur.

"We're okay. Most people are still asleep," said Captain Michelle Gaziola, the police chief of Morong, a town in Bataan that was also near the epicenter of the quake.

Earthquakes are frequent in the Philippines due to the country’s location on the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” an arc of intense seismic activity from Japan through Southeast Asia and across the Pacific basin.