A retired police officer died following the magnitude 6.6 earthquake that rocked Masbate province on Tuesday morning.
According to Masbate Provincial Police Office, the fatality was identified as retired Police Colonel Gilbert Sauro, a resident of Sitio Alimango in Barangay Concepcion in Cataingan town.
Police said the victim’s house collapsed during the Masbate earthquake.
Meanwhile, Masbate public information office chief Jun Bagahilog said in an interview on Dobol B sa News TV that 10 individuals were injured in Palanas.
“In the neighboring town of Palanas, may sampung taong nagtamo ng minor injuries,” he said.
Authorities also reported the establishments which were damaged by the earthquake: Public Attorney’s Office, the old and new Cataingan Public Market, Cataingan Municipal Police Station, the concrete road, and docking area of Cataingan Port.
Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) reported a magnitude 6.5 earthquake hit Cataingan, Masbate, on Tuesday morning.
The earthquake was recorded at 8:03 a.m. Its epicenter was located at 11.98°N, 123.98°E – 005 km S 17° W of Cataingan.
The depth of the focus of the earthquake is one kilometer. The quake was tectonic in origin.
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Intensity IV was felt in Mapanas in Northern Samar; Legazpi City in Albay; and Lezo in Aklan.
Intensity III was felt meanwhile in Iloilo City, and Intensity I in President Roxas in Capiz.
PHIVOLCS said damage and aftershocks are to be expected.
Meanwhile, National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council spokesman Mark Timbal said initial information from the Office of Civil Defense V indicated that residences made of light materials in Palanas, Masbate have sustained some damages.
Timbal added the NDRRMC had received information from PHIVOLCS that there is no tsunami threat following the quake.
He added that coordination is ongoing to determine the effect of the quake in other areas.
In November 2019, a magnitude 6.4 earthquake rocked Cotabato and some parts of Mindanao.
The earthquake, which was tectonic in origin, struck Tulunan, Cotabato, at around 7:37 pm at a depth of 8 kilometers. The United States Geological Survey, meanwhile, recorded the earthquake at magnitude 6.4.
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