5.4 quake jolts Mindanao provinces

MANILA, Philippines — An earthquake measuring magnitude 5.4 shook parts of Mindanao before dawn yesterday, causing damage to property and power outages.

The tremor occurred at 4:47 a.m., some 10 kilometers northwest of Wao, Lanao del Sur, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said.

The quake was felt at Intensity 6 in Kalilangan, Bukidnon; Intensity 5 in Cagayan de Oro City, and Intensity 4 in the towns of Pangantucan, Kadingilan, Maramag, Damulog, Quezon and Don Carlos as well as in the cities of Valencia and Malaybalay, all in Bukidnon.

Phivolcs classifies an Intensity 6 quake as very strong and Intensities 5 and 4 as strong and moderately strong, respectively.

Intensity 3 was felt in Kabacan, North Cotabato; Talakag,  Bukidnon, and Tagoloan, Misamis Oriental, and Intensity 2 in Kidapawan City.

Aftershocks with magnitudes ranging from 3.2 to 4.3 were felt in Wao, Cagayan de Oro City and Bukidnon hours later.

Phivolcs said the main quake would generate aftershocks.

It said strong aftershocks could collapse structures that were damaged by the magnitude 5.4 tremor.