Intensity 4 quake jolts Mindoro, Batangas

If you were taking your Christmas vacation in Puerto Galera Friday evening, had been drinking liquor and suddenly felt dizzy, it may not be the spirit of alcohol that kicked in, but the jolt of a moderately strong earthquake.

According to researcher Dante Soneja, of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) an Intensity 4 tremor was recorded in the provinces of Oriental Mindoro and lower intensities were felt in Batangas.

At 9:38 p.m. of Dec. 26, a 4.5 magnitude, tectonic in origin earthquake rocked the two provinces in Southern Tagalog. The source was traced to the Lubang Fault.

An Intensity 4 movement of the earth was experienced in Calapan City and Naujan in Oriental Mindoro.

Soneja said, “An Intensity 4 earthquake is moderately strong. Those in their homes and sleeping lightly would have felt that as if a truck just passed by their house, but there would have seen hanging items such as chandeliers swinging.”

The tremor was felt at Intensity 3 was recorded in Puerto Galera in Oriental Mindoro. “If you were sitting in a relaxed position, then you might have felt dizzy,” he added. – Evelyn Macairan