Magnitude 5.4 quake off Occidental Mindoro shakes Metro Manila

MANILA, Philippines — A tectonic earthquake off the coast of Lubang in Occidental Mindoro with a magnitude of 5.4 was felt all the way to Metro Manila and some areas in Calabarzon.

A Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology advisory showed that the quake, recorded at 3:18 a.m., originated 20 kilometers northeast of the Mindoro town but jolted Makati City, Parañaque City and the City of Manila with Intensity 4 movements, rousing light sleepers residing in areas that have been on lockdown for months over the coronavirus outbreak.

An Intensity 4 shaking is "moderately strong," according to the PHIVOLCS Intensity Scale, and is generally felt indoors and by some outdoors. "Vibration is felt like a passing of heavy truck. Hanging objects swing considerably," the document says.

In Quezon City and in cities of Malabon, Mandaluyong, Pateros, Pasay, Taguig as well as Tagaytay in Cavite, Calapan City and Puerto Galera in Oriental Mindoro and Batangas' Calapan and Lipa, Intensity 3 or "weak" shakes were recorded.

Instrumental intensities, which are based on the measurements of seismic intensity or severity of the quake, were also reported in more than a dozen other areas. These were:

• Intensity 4 — Calatagan, Batangas; Malolos City, and San Ildefonso, Bulacan; Navotas City
• Intensity 3 — Calapan City, Oriental Mindoro; Talisay, Batangas; Bacoor City, and Tagaytay City, Cavite; Muntinlupa City; Guagua, Pampanga
• Intensity 2 — Magalang, Pampanga; San Juan City
• Intensity 1 — San Jose, Occidental Mindoro; Palayan City, and San Jose City, Nueva Ecija; Gumaca, Quezon; Baler, Aurora

As was expected of an earthquake of such magnitude and intensities, a few aftershocks were similarly detected.