Quake jolts Cotabato City

MANILA, Philippines — A magnitude-6.4 earthquake jolted Cotabato City yesterday, but no damage or injuries were reported, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said.

The quake occurred at 1:08 a.m. and its epicenter was located 13 kilometers southeast of Cotabato City, according to Science Undersecretary and Phivolcs officer-in-charge Renato Solidum Jr.

Instrumental Intensity 2 was registered in Alabel and Malungon towns, both in Sarangani, and Intensity 1 in Tupi and Koronadal City, both in South Cotabato, and in Kiamba, Sarangani.

Instrumental intensity refers to the shaking as recorded by an instrument called intensity meter.

Although the quake was considered strong in terms of its magnitude, it was too deep to cause damage on the surface, Solidum said.

“The depth of this quake was 543 kilometers, which is too deep to cause (strong) shaking on the surface,” he said.

Earthquakes of magnitudes-6 and above are likely to trigger aftershocks, he said, adding yesterday’s quake was not related to the magnitude-5.8 temblor that hit Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur on Friday.