Philippines Negros Island Rocked by Six Strong Quakes in Eight Hours
On February 6, 2012, the Philippines island of Negros was rocked by a 6.7 magnitude earthquake and five strong aftershock quakes in eight hours. Negros Island, the location of the most active volcano in the Philippines, Canlaon (Kanlaon) Volcano.
Tsunami warning triggers panic:
CEBU CITY,Philippines – Panic gripped this city at past noon yesterday.
People and vehicles crowded the streets, racing to reach higher ground as rumors of an incoming tsunami spread.
Cars were abandoned in the middle of roads; stores were left open and people headed to the mountains. Some found their way to the tops of high-rise buildings.
A 78-year-old named Anelita appeared to be short of breath as she sat near The Freeman offices, pleading that she be allowed to go up to the highest floor of the building, fearing that the tsunami was near.
Anelita said that she was selling fish in Pasil market when she heard people shouting that the water was rising.
She said that she saw the water rising, but not that much, but she still ran because people were already running away
A 6.7 magnitude earthquake off the central Philippine island of Negros has left at least 43 people dead.
The US Geological Survey said the quake occurred a depth of 20km.
Government offices and schools were ordered to close after at least 40 aftershocks.
At least 29 were killed by landslides while many others were crushed by collapsing buildings in the mountainous town of of Guihulngan, said spokesperson Colonel Francisco Patrimonio.
The local volcanology and seismology institute lifted a tsunami alert. Some roads, bridges and houses sustained cracks, but major roads remained passable.
It later lifted a tsunami alert. Some roads, bridges and houses sustained cracks, but major roads remained passable.
QRT: Magnitude 6.8 na lindol sa Visayas, naramdaman din sa Luzon at Mindanao Video
Perusing the USGS website–Latest Earthquake in the World Past Seven Days– the info on the 6.7 earthquake and aftershocks including the depth which varied as much as 9 miles. Information on the chronological order of the 6.7 earthquake and aftershocks and their epicenter locations, quakes which didn’t remain in a centralized area close to the original 6.7 magnitude earthquake.
Posted below, the USGS Recent Earthquake Activity Map in the Philippines-the blue boxes = earthquakes in the past 24 hours. Yellow boxes = earthquakes in the past week. A map which doesn’t reveal as much info as Google maps.
Below, Google location maps of the 6.7 earthquake and aftershocks posted in chronological order. What’s interesting about the maps is that they reveal the sequence of aftershocks events and the varied locations where they occurred.
Google map location of 6.7 magnitude Negros Island earthquake, 72 km (44 miles) N of Dumaguete, Negros, Philippines, Monday, February 06, 2012 at 03:49:16 UTC.
Google map location of 4.8 magnitude aftershock, 62 km (38 miles) N of Dumaguete, Negros, Philippines, Monday, February 06, 2012 at 12:03:28 PM at epicenter.
Google map location of 5.6 aftershock, 71 km (44 miles) SSE of Bacolod, Negros, Philippines, Monday, February 06, 2012 at 12:20:03 PM at epicenter.
Google map location of 6.0 aftershock, 60 km (37 miles) NNW of Dumaguete, Negros, Philippines, Monday, February 06, 2012 at 06:10:24 PM at epicenter.
Google map location of 5.8 aftershock, 61 km (37 miles) NNW of Dumaguete, Negros, Philippines, Monday, February 06, 2012 at 07:33:37 PM at epicenter.
Google map location of 5.2 aftershock, 65 km (40 miles) NNW of Dumaguete, Negros, Philippines, Monday, February 06, 2012 at 07:40:19 PM at epicenter
Another detail about the earthquake and aftershocks: they occurred at different ‘depths’.
Magnitude 6.7 earthquake depth: 20 km (12.4 miles)
Magnitude 4.8 aftershock depth: 34.8 km (21.6 miles)
Magnitude 5.6 aftershock depth: 15 km (9.3 miles)
Magnitude 6.0 aftershock depth: 15 km (9.3 miles)
Magnitude 5.8 aftershock depth: 15.1 km (9.4 miles)
Magnitude 5.2 aftershock depth: 15 km (9.3 miles)
I’m in Cebu and the quake was strongly felt in Cebu City, the second largest city in the Philippines. The earthquake was a jolting action, with sharp and quick shaking that lasted for about 30 seconds. Pretty scary actually, but no damage in Cebu.
Reply