A magnitude 5.6 earthquake hit the waters off Hinatuan municipality in Surigao del Sur on Thursday morning.
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said the tremor was an aftershock to the magnitude 7.4 quake that hit the province last Dec. 2.
Of tectonic origin, the tremor occurred at 8:10 a.m., 67 kilometers east of Hinatuan with a depth of focus of 10 kilometers (kms), Phivolcs said.
There was no recorded intensity.
Thirteen minutes later at 8:23 a.m., a magnitude-5.3 quake occurred Its epicenter was 83 kms. south of Cagwait with a shallow depth of only 9 kms.
Intensity 5 was felt in Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur, and Intensity IV in Bislig City. In instrumental intensity, the quake was felt at intensity II in Bislig City.
At 9:40 a.m., a magnitude 4.3 tremor occurred with its epicenter at 79 kms east of Cagwait and a depth of 17 kms.
The series of aftershocks shook residents of Cagwait.
In a Viber message, Phivolcs said these all stemmed from the 6.8-magnitude tremor that hit the municipality on Dec. 4, 2023, which was generated by the movement of the Philippine Trench.
The highest aftershock on Thursday was measured at magnitude-5.4, struck at 8:23 a.m. It was located 77 kilometers southeast of Cagwait at a depth of 15 kilometers.
Other towns that experienced light to moderate earthquakes were Carrascal, Marihatag, and Lingig. No aftershocks and damage to properties are expected from these seismic incidents.
Editor’s Note: This is an updated article. Originally posted with the headline “Offshore aftershocks rock Surigao del Sur.”