2 more aftershocks jolt Southern Tagalog, Metro

Two moderate earthquakes jolted parts of Southern Luzon and Metro Manila early yesterday morning, the fifth and sixth aftershocks since the 5.2-magnitude earthquake Friday night, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said yesterday.

The two tremors with magnitudes of 3.7 and 4.7 occurred at 2:23 a.m. and 2:27 a.m., respectively, with their epicenters located at 31 kilometers southeast of Calapan, Oriental Mindoro.

There were no reports of damage.

The 2:23 a.m. quake was felt at Intensity III in Tanauan and Lipa, both in Batangas; Lucban in Quezon; Taguig and Makati in Metro Manila; and Puerto Galera in Oriental Mindoro; and Intensity II in Quezon City and Tagaytay City.

A movement on the eastern segment of the Lubang Fault also caused yesterday’s quake, said Phivolcs, which has recorded 591 aftershocks since Friday.

Phivolcs said at least 20 quakes hit the country daily, but most of them are not felt.

Phivolcs director Renato Solidum earlier said there was no need to issue any tsunami warning to coastal areas since the tremors, at such magnitudes, are incapable of generating tsunamis.