Dec. 30 (UPI) — A 7.0-magnitude undersea earthquake struck off Davao Oriental in the Philippines late Saturday morning, frightening residents and triggering an initial tsunami alert.
The epicenter of the earthquake, which hit at 11:39 a.m. local time, was pinpointed 52 miles east-southeast of Pondaguitan, Philippines, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology regional monitoring officer Allan Rommel Labayog said the quake mainly affected the Davao provinces but could be felt in Sulu, some 315 miles away, the Philippine Star reported.
A 5.3-magnitude aftershock was felt at 5:13 p.m., the USGS and local reports said. The initial tremor sent people running out of and away from buildings, but no major damage or injuries were reported. The original tsunami warning was canceled two hours after the earthquake.
Labayog said intensity 5 levels were felt in the areas of Gov. Generoso in Davao Oriental, Glan Sarangani, and Koronadal City areas while intensity 4 levels were felt in the cities of Kidapawan, General Santos, Tupi town in South Cotabato, Kiamba in Sarangani, Mati City, Manay town, Davao Oriental and Davao City.
The earthquake and tsunami scare were just the latest concerns for the region still jittery after a tsunami hit Indonesia on Dec. 22, killing at least 430 people. That tsunami was triggered by the eruption of Indonesia’s Anak Krakatau volcano in the Sunda Strait.
The Philippines and Indonesia are part of a collection of more than 17,000 islands that sit on the geologically-active land referred to by scientists as the “Ring of Fire,” and is often hit by earthquakes and tsunamis.
