A magnitude 6.1 earthquake jolted the waters southeast of Sarangani town, Davao Occidental Wednesday morning, days after a 6.8-magnitude quake hit the province on Friday.
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said the epicenter of yesterday’s tremor, which was tectonic in origin, was 79 kilometers southeast of Balut Island.
Intensity 2 was felt in General Santos City, Glan, Alabel, Malapatan, Malungon, Kiamba, Tupi, Tampakan, City of Koronadal, and Tboli.
Intensity 1 was felt in Polomolok, Surallah, Lake Sebu, South Cotabato, Maasim, and Maitum.
The municipality of Glan in Sarangani was placed under a state of calamity following last week’s magnitude 6.8 earthquake in Mindanao.
Glan accounted for 5 of the fatalities following the 6.8-magnitude quake, while nearly 20 families were displaced by huge ground fissures, Mayor Victor James Yap Sr. said.
The death toll from last week’s Mindanao earthquake rose to 11 on Tuesday, according to the Department of Health.
As of Nov. 21, DOH said there were 740 casualties reported from the earthquake.
Of this number, 689 are individuals who were treated as outpatients, while 41 were still admitted to hospitals.
Yap said they are prioritizing rebuilding some 2,000 houses in the town that sustained damage after the major quake.
Phivolcs Director Teresito Bacolcol on Tuesday reiterated his call for the public to always be prepared for strong earthquakes, as these “will be experienced from time to time.”
“We are part of the Pacific Ring of Fire, and whether we like it or not, we will experience strong earthquakes from time to time, so we really have to prepare,” Bacolcol said.