4 mild quakes rock parts of Mindanao

BUTUAN CITY, Philippines  – Four earthquakes rocked parts of Mindanao over the weekend.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said a magnitude 5 earthquake hit Surigao del Sur at 2:23 a.m. Saturday while a magnitude 3.9 tremor shook this city three hours later, at 5:20 a.m.

The epicenter of the first quake was traced to seven kilometers north of this city, while the second quake’s epicenter was at 85 kms south-southeast of Hinatuan town in Surigao del Sur.

Yesterday, the Office of Civil Defense here reported two more earthquakes. The first occurred at 2:38 a.m. with a magnitude of 4.6. Its epicenter was traced at 15 kms northeast of Jabonga, Agusan del Norte.

This earthquake caused brief power interruptions in areas managed by the Agusan del Norte Electric Cooperative. It was felt at intensity 5 in Jabonga; Intensity 4 here and Placer, Surigao del Norte; and Intensity 2 in Surigao City.

The next quake, with a magnitude of 3.8, was felt at 7:25 a.m. in General Santos City. Its epicenter was located at 198 kms southeast of General Santos. – Ben Serrano, Helen Flores