MANILA — The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said that there was no tsunami warning anywhere in the country after a powerful magnitude 7.0 earthquake shook parts of Mindanao and Indonesia Wednesday afternoon.
The quake, which was tectonic in origin, had an epicenter about 346 kilometers off the coast of Balut Island in Sarangani town in Davao Occidental.
The United States Geological Survey (USGS) tracked the center near eastern Indonesia's Maluku islands.
It had triggered a tsunami warning in Indonesia that was later lifted. The powerful shaking forced residents to flee in panic.
In the Philippines, the earthquake was felt in the following areas:
- Intensity II: Glan, Maasim, and Malungon, Sarangani; Banga, City of Koronadal, Polomolok, Tampakan, and Tupi, South Cotabato; General Santos City; Kalamansig, Palimbang, and President Quirino, Sultan Kudarat
- Intensity I: Lake Sebu, and Surallah, South Cotabato; Columbio, Sultan Kudarat
Instrumental intensities were also felt in these areas:
- Intensity II: Nabunturan, Davao de Oro; Don Marcelino, Davao Occidental; City of Kidapawan, Cotabato; Glan, and Kiamba, Sarangani; City of Koronadal, Santo Niño, T'Boli, and Tupi, South Cotabato
- Intensity I: City of Zamboanga; Maasim, and Maitum, Sarangani; Lake Sebu, Norala, Surallah, Tampakan, and Tantangan, South Cotabato; Isulan, Sultan Kudarat
No damage was expected following the quake, Phivolcs said, but it advised residents of affected areas to prepare for possible aftershocks.
The Office of Civil Defense (OCD), meanwhile, said that as of writing, it has not received any reports of any damage or casualties in areas that were shaken by the earthquake.
OCD Regional Offices and local disaster authorities were continuing to monitor the situation, it said.