Aftershocks felt in two Bohol towns

TAGBILARAN CITY, Philippines — A series of three aftershocks, at an interval of one to two minutes, occurred in Loboc and Sikatuna towns at past 8 a.m. the other day (Feb. 8).

Nolan Evangelista of the local station of Phivolcs confirmed that the first aftershock took place at 8:41 a.m., then the second followed a minute later and the third one two minutes after that was barely noticeable in Loboc.

Evangelista estimated the aftershocks at Intensity 2 and magnitude of 3 or 4, but pointed out that it must be much stronger in Tayasan, Negros Oriental at that time being nearer to the epicenter of the earthquakes.

“We can possibly raise the southwest of Bohol to Intensity 6 after we collate all the data from different areas regarding numerous cracks noticed in school buildings,” he said.

According to Evangelista, Loboc is sensitive to tremors with the amount of sedimentary materials of the ground that supports the structures.

“The ground shaking matters with respect to site response. Ground shaking will be amplified, with sediments on the surface. If ground shaking is amplified, the more vibration will be felt in an area. It makes an area sensitive. Loboc is like a catch-basin where sedimentary materials from the upland are deposited,” Evangelista explained. - THE FREEMAN