It was of magnitude 6.1 and not of magnitude 6.0, as initially estimated, the earthquake which hit the south of today Philippines. The estimate is from the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology after the first surveys from the US Geophysical Institute (USGS). At the moment there are no reports of injuries or major damage.
The epicenter was located about 14 kilometers northeast of the city of New Bataan, nin the coastal province of Davao de Oroto one depth of 11 kilometersthe Philippine Institute reported, adding that the earthquake was felt in several cities and provinces in the south and aftershocks are expected. The governor of Davao de Oro, Dorothy Gonzaga, ha suspended classes and most government jobs in the province to allow inspections of buildings for possible damage. The province, home to over 700,000 inhabitants, is located in a region that last week was still in difficulty due to heavy rains and floods.
The Philippines lies along the so-called Pacific Ring of Fire, an arc of faults around the Pacific Ocean where most of the world’s earthquakes occur. It is also hit by around 20 typhoons and tropical storms each year, making it one of the most disaster-prone countries in the world. In 1990, an earthquake measuring 7.7 caused nearly 2,000 deaths in the northern Philippines.
