MANILA (2nd UPDATE) — A strong magnitude 6.3 earthquake struck off Batangas province on Thursday morning, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said.

The epicenter of the quake was 15 kilometers southwest of Calatagan at a depth of 119 kilometers, Phivolcs reported.

The tremor was possibly caused by movement in the Manila trench, Phivolcs senior science specialist Erlinton Oliver said.

"Wala pong kinalaman dito yong mga nangyayaring mga volcanic activity within Taal or Mayon," he told ABS-CBN's TeleRadyo.

Aftershocks and damage from the earthquake were expected, state seismologists said.

The tremor was felt in Metro Manila and nearby provinces, the strongest of which was Intensity IV.

"Moderately strong" Intensity IV
(Generally felt indoors, vibration feels like the passing of a heavy truck, hanging objects may swing considerably)
Manila, Mandaluyong City, Quezon City, and Valenzuela City in NCR; Malolos in Bulacan; Batangas City, Ibaan, Lemery, Nasugbu, and Talisay in Batangas province; Dasmariñas and Tagaytay in Cavite; and Tanay in Rizal

"Weak" Intensity III
(Felt especially in upper floors of buildings, feels like passing of a light truck, may cause dizziness for some people)
Pateros, Las Piñas City, Makati City, Marikina City, Parañaque City, and Pasig City in NCR; Obando in Bulacan; Laurel in Batangas; Bacoor and Imus in Cavite; San Pablo City and San Pedro City in Laguna; and San Mateo in Rizal

"Slightly felt" Intensity II
Caloocan City, San Juan City, and Muntinlupa City in NCR; San Fernando City in La Union; Alaminos and Bolinao in Pangasinan; Santa Maria in Bulacan; and Bamban in Tarlac

"Scarcely perceptible" Intensity I
San Jose del Monte in Bulacan

Phivolcs noted that the quake was unlikely to unleash a tsunami due to its depth.

IMPACT

In Calatagan, the quake's epicenter, the town's police chief Emil Mendoza said he and his staff rushed outside following the tremor. "It was a bit strong. We had to run outside."

Calatagan Mayor Peter Oliver Palacio said the municipal hall did not incur damage, but the town's engineers were checking to see if other infrastructure in the city had been damaged.

"Inatasan na natin ang ating engineering department para mag-ikot sa bayan para matingnan kung meron pang damage na naidulot ang lindol," he said.

(We have asked our staff from the engineering department to go around the city to check for damaged infrastructure.)

Palacio said classes were suspended in Calatagan upon the orders of the Department of Education's schools division office there.

Calatagan disaster officer Ronald Torres said the quake lasted between 30 seconds and a minute.

Diego Mariano, information officer at the national civil defense office, said authorities were assessing the impact of the quake.

"As of now, no major damage or casualties as of reporting time. Assessment still ongoing," he told reporters in a message.

Long queues at the LRT-1's Monumento station in Caloocan City following a strong magnitude 6.2 earthquake in Luzon on June 15, 2023. Jimmy Encarnacion, ABS-CBN News

Long queues at the LRT-1's Monumento station in Caloocan City following a strong magnitude 6.2 earthquake in Luzon on June 15, 2023. Jimmy Encarnacion, ABS-CBN News

Long queues at the LRT-1's Monumento station in Caloocan City following a strong magnitude 6.2 earthquake in Luzon on June 15, 2023. Jimmy Encarnacion, ABS-CBN News

The operation of the country's train services—PNR, LRT-1, LRT-2, and MRT-3—were temporarily suspended following the quake, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) said.

Long lines were seen in LRT-1's Monumento station in Caloocan City, while train passengers were being offloaded.

All four railways resumed normal operations at 11:39 a.m. Wednesday, more than an hour after the temblor struck.

At the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), runways and taxiways were closed for inspection as a precautionary measure.

But the DOTr said departure and arrival operations in NAIA's four terminals were "unaffected" by the inspection.

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Malacañang employees and journalists were forced to evacuate the Palace grounds in Manila following the quake.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. was attending a trade forum in Taguig City when the tremor happened.

Earthquakes are a daily occurrence in the Philippines, which sits along the Pacific "Ring of Fire", an arc of intense seismic as well as volcanic activity that stretches from Japan through Southeast Asia and across the Pacific basin.

— With reports from Raffy Cabristante, Benise Balaoing, Jacque Manabat and Pia Gutierrez, ABS-CBN News; Agence France-Presse