Magnitude 6.1 quake rocks Davao de Oro
A magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck parts of the southern Philippine province of Davao de Oro early evening Wednesday, February 1.
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLS) said the quake was recorded at 6:46 p.m., 14 kilometers northeast of New Bataan with a depth of 11 kilometers.
Several southern cities and provinces were rocked by the quake, the government institute said, adding that it was expecting aftershocks.
PHIVOLCS reported that it was felt as Intensity III in Davao City.
The quake was felt as Intensity V in neighboring Nabunturan, Davao de Oro. It was Intensity III in Kidapawan City, Cotabato; Alabel, Sarangani; Tupi, South Cotabato; and Bislig City, Surigao del Sur.
A CCTV recording of an resident’s inflatable pool with its water moving in waves showed how strong the quake was.
The extent of the damage can also be seen in photos of damaged parts of houses and merchandise that had been knocked on the floor of a supermarket in New Bataan.
Davao de Oro Gov. Dorothy Gonzaga suspended classes and most government work in the province on Thursday to allow inspections of buildings for possible damage.
Quakes are a daily occurrence in the Philippines, which sits along the Pacific “Ring of Fire”, an arc of intense seismic as well as volcanic activity that stretches from Japan through Southeast Asia and across the Pacific basin.
