Philippines Earthquake 2016: Magnitude 5.3 Quake Rocks Surigao del Norte

A magnitude 5.3 earthquake shook areas of the Philippines on Tuesday morning, according to reports. Officials from the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said the earthquake’s epicenter was about eight miles west of Santa Monica on the island of Surigao del Norte. There were no immediate reports of deaths.

The tectonic quake, which struck about 30 miles deep at the epicenter, was not expected to cause much damage. However, authorities warned aftershock quakes could follow.

The quake measured as Intensity IV in various areas of Surigao del Norte including Surigao City, Mayorga, Leyte, and San Juan, Southern Leyte. In Cagayan de Oro City, Butuan City and Palo, Leyte, the quake was reportedly felt at Intensity III while the quake was recorded at Intensity II in Cebu City.

The Philippines resides along the Pacific Ring of Fire, an area of the basin of the Pacific Ocean that is known for heavy volcanic eruptions and earthquakes. Shocks from earthquakes range in intensity, but some areas of the Philippines face smaller seismic activity very often due to the constant clashing of tectonic plates in the region.

The Surigao del Norte quake was considered to be a mild quake. The biggest quake to hit the Philippines occurred more than 95 years ago when a magnitude 8.3 quake rocked Mabay, Soccsksargen on Aug. 15, 1918. The earthquake reached Intensity X, which is considered extreme on the Mercalli intensity scale, triggering a large tsunami. Damage was widespread along the coast of the Celebes Sea due to the earthquake and tsunami, which reportedly killed 52 people.

Surigao del Norte’s quake comes following a deadly earthquake that struck Indonesia earlier in the month that left 26 people dead and hundreds more injured. The magnitude 6.5 quake hit Indonesia’s northernmost province, Aceh, causing severe damage to many homes in the area. The quake reached a depth of about 5 miles and was felt for about 15 seconds, according to a spokesperson from Indonesia’s National Disaster Mitigation Agency.