Magnitude 4.5 quake jolts parts of Luzon, MM

MANILA, Philippines - A magnitude of 4.5 earthquake shook parts of Luzon, including Metro Manila, Wednesday night but left no damage or casualties.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said the tremor occurred at 10:46 p.m. with its epicenter traced some four kilometers southwest of San Quintin town in Pangasinan.

The quake was reportedly felt at Intensity 3 in the cities of Caloocan and Mandaluyong , and in Dagupan, Baguio, and Binalonan town in Pangasinan.

Intensity 2 was felt in Quezon City, Pasig, Taguig and Pasay, all in Metro Manila; Gapan, Cabanatuan and Pantabangan in Nueva Ecija; Baler in Aurora and Palayan City, Pangasinan.

Intensity 1 was felt in Lucban, Quezon.

Meanwhile, a ranking official of the National Power Corp. (Napocor) allayed fears on the Angat Dam following the magnitude 4.9.

Rodolfo German, general manager of the Angat River Hydro Electric Power Plant (ARHEPP) in Norzagaray town, said the earthquake has no impact on the 45-year-old dam.

He said there is no need to assess the dam’s structure as the quake was moderate.       

The United States Geological Survey listed the quake at magnitude 4.9.

The earthquake was also felt in Bulacan, although residents hardly felt it. – With Dino Balabo