Philippine Segment of Pacific Ring of Fire Roaring!

Earlier Warning

In March 2006, a geology professor in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic actually warned that the said country must be prepared in the short term for a strong earthquake that could even generate a tidal wave in the country’s North and South zones. Prof. Orlando Franco affirmed serious indications “which have occurred in nature leading us to forecast a possible earthquake with fatal consequences.”

He made reference to tremors which have taken place in the country’s North region, which could be a prelude to something stronger. He then cautioned that there was a danger when a concentration of energy occurs, causing an earthquake of dangerous magnitude. (dominicantoday.com 3.14.2006)

Haiti, where an intensity 7.0 earthquake that resulted in the loss of thousands of human lives recently occured, is Dominican Republic’s next door neighbor, sharing the same island in the Western Hemisphere. Human lives lost is expected to reach 150,000 in this quake that occurred just five days ago. Among the victims were officials of the U.N. and a senior archbishop of Port-au-Prince according to a CNN report.

2006 Warning

In June of the same year (2006), Philvocs warned that an earthquake with a magnitude 7.2 on the Richter Scale “is overdue” and could hit the Philippines soon affecting at least 38 percent of all residential buildings in Metro Manila. “The last strong quake to hit us was in 1994. With time, the possibility of being hit by a strong earthquake is increasing”. 90 strong quakes had been recorded here over the last 400 years, or a statistical average of one major quake every four to five years. (manilastandardtoday.com 6.27.2006)

But no strong quake has been recorded for a decade after the 1994 quake in Mindoro that killed at least 78 people and caused panic in Gasan when hit by a minor tidal wave after the quake.

(Markers show epicenter of recent earthquakes)

Marinduque quake

On October 20, 2006, Philvocs reported a 5.3 magnitude earthquake in Marinduque around 10:30 p.m. with tremors reaching as far as Tagaytay and Quezon City.

A second earthquake struck around 1:27 a.m. the next day with the epicenter located 35 kilometers south and 89 degrees west of Boac, Marinduque. The Lubang and Marinduque faults were identified as the sources of the earthquake. (pinoyexchange.com/forums)

Philvocs Director Renato Solidum,Jr. then reported that the Marinduque quake’s epicenter was traced to the eastern segment of the Lubang Fault located offshore between Mindoro island and Marinduque. Five major aftershocks and more than 700 minor aftershocks were recorded.

The quake caused no damage to property but sent many residents in Marinduque to panic. Solidum then said that despite the earthquake at the Lubang Fault, people should remain alert against "the big quake." He said there is no way to predict where or when the big quake will occur.

"Lubang Fault does not generate that powerful a quake. But the Philippine Fault Zone is one of the longest, and some faults had already moved, like the one in Central Luzon in 1990 and the one in Masbate in 2003," he said. (gmanews.com 10.26.06)

(USGS Maps)

Series of Earthquakes in the Philippines Now

Interestingly, a series of recent earthquakes have also been monitored around the world by United States Geological Survey (USGS).

Just yesterday morning in the Philippines, a 4.8 magnitude earthquake was felt in southern Luzon at 3.53 a.m., the epicenter of which was located 30 kilometers southwest of Batangas, 35 kilometers west-northwest of Calapan, Mindoro.

A second 2.2 magnitude quake was also felt in parts of Negros Occidental in the VIsayas region. Philvocs reported that the epicenter was 26 km west of Canlaon City. The two earthquakes were of tectonic origin. (Inquirer.net (01.17.2010)

Early last Friday, another earthquake jolted some parts of Mindanao less than 72 hours after an earthquake struck off Sultan Kudarat province on Tuesday.

The Friday quake, which was traced some 32 kilometers southeast of Tagum City, was felt in areas of Davao City, General Santos City and several towns in Davao del Sur and North Cotabato. The said earthquake which struck at 8:02 a.m. quake was registered at magnitude 5.3.

One of the strongest earthquakes in the country struck on Aug. 16, 1976, when the Mindanao Fault moved violently and triggered an Intensity 7.2 quake.

That earthquake in 1976 also triggered a tsunami that flattened several areas in the Zamboanga Peninsula and Central Mindanao, which include the Cotabato provinces, Maguindanao, Sultan Kudarat and Sarangani. The 1976 quake killed between 5,000 to 8,000 people. (PDI, 01.16.2010)

The Baguio Quake

At 4:26 p.m. on July 16, 1990, a killer earthquake hit and extensively devastated the City of Baguio. As reported, the temblor measured 7.7 in the Richter scale and lasted for 45 seconds, with numerous aftershocks, the strongest being recorded on July 18, measuring 5.3 on the Richter Scale, lasting for 8 seconds.

The Philippine archipelago sits on the Pacific Ring of Fire, where continental plates collide, causing frequent seismic and volcanic activities.

Magnitude 8 Next?

Yesterday, Philvocs North Cotabato director Hermis Daquipa issued a statement that “the Mindanao Fault, which has been restive the past few months could trigger up to a magnitude 8 earthquake”. He made the statement in the wake of observations that earthquakes have become more frequent since November in parts of Mindanao. (PDI 1.17.2010)

Among these earthquakes were the Nov. 4 tremor that had a magnitude of 5.6 and struck 105 kilometers east of Davao City. On Nov. 17, two mild quakes also hit Southern Mindanao and adjacent areas. Another 5.2 magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Mati, Davao Oriental, on Dec. 11.