Strong quake in Indonesia felt in Davao, General Santos

MANILA, Philippines - A strong earthquake that struck Talaud Island in Indonesia early yesterday morning was also felt in some parts of Mindanao, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said.

Phivolcs director Renato Solidum said a 7.4 magnitude earthquake hit Talaud Island at 1:35 a.m. yesterday.

The quake was located about 325 kilometers northeast of the Indonesian town of Manado or 285 kilometers southeast of General Santos City, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS).

Solidum said the tremor was felt at Intensity 3 in Davao and Intensity 2 in General Santos City.

Solidum said an alert level 1 tsunami warning was issued for the southeast coast of Mindanao, advising residents to be “watchful” but need not evacuate, but this was cancelled at 3:40 a.m.

Indonesia’s meteorology and geophysics agency also issued a tsunami warning immediately after the quake, but cancelled it about an hour later.

The USGS initially put the magnitude at 7.5, but later revised it down to 7.0 and then to 7.2. Indonesia said the quake measured 7.4 on the Richter scale.

A magnitude 5.5 aftershock was also recorded off Mindanao at 3:01 a.m., with the epicenter traced at 325 kms northeast of Manado or 290 kms south-southeast of General Santos City, the USGS said.

The Hawaii-based Pacific Tsunami Warning Center sent a bulletin, saying there was “no destructive tsunami threat” based on available data.

In December 2004, Indonesia was the nation worst hit by an earthquake-generated tsunami that killed more than 200,000 people in 11 countries across Asia, including over 168,000 people in Indonesia’s Aceh province and Nias Island.

The Philippines and Indonesia lie on the so-called Pacific Ring of Fire, where continental plates meet, causing seismic and volcanic activity.

According to Phivolcs, about 20 earthquakes hit the Philippines every day but only a few are felt.