Magnitude 6.5 quake hits Leyte

Temblor due to movement of Philippine fault zone, says Phivolcs

[4TH UPDATE] A magnitude 6.5 earthquake struck southwest of Jaro, Leyte at 4:03 p.m. Thursday, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said.

Phivolcs said damage and aftershocks are expected following the temblor. 

Tsunamis are, however, not expected since the quake happened on land, Phivolcs Director Renato Solidum told ANC.

Phivolcs said the quake hit 8 kilometers off Jaro, Leyte at a depth of 2 kilometers.

It was felt at the following intensities in these areas:

Intensity VI - Jaro and Kananga and Capoocan, Leyte

Intensity V - Palo, Leyte; Tacloban City; Cebu City; Mandaue City; Ormoc City

Intensity IV - Catbalogan City; Cabucgayan and Naval, Biliran; Tolosa and Bato, Leyte Hinunangan, Southern Leyte; Sagay City, Negros Occidental; Burgos, Surigao del Norte; Biliran, Leyte

Intensity III - Bogo City and Talisay, Cebu; Roxas City; Iloilo City; Bacolod City; Inopacan and Baybay, Leyte; Sogod, Southern Leyte; Calatrava, Negros Occidental; Tagbilaran City; Jagna, Bohol; Borongan, Eastern Samar; Guihulngan City and Tayasan, Negros Oriental; Cadiz City and Toboso, Escalante, Negros Occidental

Intensity II - Libjo, San Jose, Cagdianao, Dinagat Islands; Sorsogon City; Lapu-lapu City; San Juan, Southern Leyte; Javier, Leyte; Tansay and Sibulan, Negros Oriental; Sorsogon City

Intensity I - La Carlota City, Negros Occidental; Catarman, Northern Samar

Instrumental intensities were recorded in the following areas:

Intensity IV - Catbalogan City
Intensity III - Argao, Cebu
Intensity II - Palo, Leyte; Roxas City; Lapu-lapu City; Iloilo City
Intensity I - Bago City; La Carlota City

"Essentially this earthquake was caused by the movement of the Philippine fault zone," Solidum said.

At least one aftershock has been recorded following the quake. A magnitude 3.8 quake jolted Jaro at 4:13 p.m.

In a separate interview, Leyte Gov. Dominic Petilla said power was cut off in Leyte as the Malitbog Geothermal Power Station, located in Kananga town, automatically shuts down during a quake.

Kananga Vice Mayor Elmer Codilla said authorities recorded a 6-yard damage in the power plant, but he did not specify its extent.

The power plant is the largest geothermal energy producer in the country and provides most of the power supply for Visayas.

"Ang provincial engineering office ay nagpadala na ng mga heavy equipment natin na madaanan lang muna ang mga kalsada," he told DZMM Thursday, when reached shortly after the quake hit. 

Petilla said he was in the municipality of Albuera when the quake happened, and noted that he felt the shock to be "quite strong."

"So far ang medyo malakas ang naramdaman talaga dito sa Ormoc and Kananga area," he said.

Local officials are also verifying reports of damaged buildings following the quake as well as a report that part of a road in Valencia, Ormoc was chipped off by the shaking, Petilla said.

The strong quake sent people rushing to the streets to avoid debris that may fall from buildings.

Codilla said a 3-storey building collapsed at the center of the municipality of Kananga. A man was reportedly trapped in the said structure while more than 10 people were injured.

"Yung collapse, sir, sa sentro lang. Nag-collapse [‘yung building.]," he said.

Rescue operations are underway