Magnitude 7 quake jolts Luzon

MANILA, Philippines, July 27 ------ A magnitude 7 earthquake struck inland in the northern province of Abra this morning, badly damaging homes, public and private buildings and roads and sending strong tremors through Metro Manila.

The strong quake centered two kilometers northeast of Langilang, Abra, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology reported. It struck at 8:43 a.m. at a depth of 25 kilometers. Its magnitude was initially placed at 7.3. A hospital in Abra was evacuated after the building partially collapsed following the quake, but there were no casualties reported, said officials. “We are still experiencing aftershocks. We have received reports of damages to houses. But so far no casualties,” said Mayor Rovelyn Villamor in the town of Lagangilang in Abra province. “We don’t have power supply because that’s automatically cut off due to danger,” Villamor told DZRH radio.

The public information office of Abra province posted photographs on its Facebook page showing buildings badly damaged, with walls with huge cracks crumbling. “The focus of attention is on Abra and nearby provinces. This is a major earthquake. We expect strong aftershocks,” Renato Solidum, director of the state seismology agency, told DZMM radio station. Representative Eric Singson of Ilocos Sur told DZMM radio station the quake had been felt strongly. “The earthquake lasted 30 seconds or more. I thought my house would fall,” said Singson. “Now, we are trying to reach people …. Right now there are aftershocks so we are outside our home.”

The quake was also felt in Metro Manila and the city’s metro rail systems was halted at rush hour after the quake, the transport ministry said. The Senate building in the capital was also evacuated, media reported.

Following are the reported intensities:

• Intensity VII – Bucloc and Manabo, Abra

• Intensity VI – Vigan City, Sinait, Bantay, San Esteban, Ilocos Sur; Laoac, Pangasinan; Baguio City;

• Intensity V – Magsingal and San Juan, Ilocos Sur, Alaminos City and Labrador, Pangasinan; Bambang, Nueva Vizcaya; Mexico, Pampanga; Concepcion, and Tarlac City, Tarlac; City of Manila; City of Malabon

• Intensity IV – City of Marikina; Quezon City; City of Pasig; City of Valenzuela; City of Tabuk, Kalinga; Bautista and Malasiqui, Pangasinan; Bayombong and Diadi, Nueva Vizcaya; Guiguinto, Obando, and San Rafael, Bulacan; San Mateo, Rizal

• Intensity III – Bolinao, Pangasinan; Bulakan, Bulacan; Tanay, Rizal

• Intensity II – General Trias City, Cavite; Santa Rosa City, Laguna

Below are the instrumental intensities:

• Intensity VII – Vigan City

• Intensity V – Laoag City, Ilocos Norte; Peñablanca, Cagayan; Dagupan City, Pangasinan; Sinait, Ilocos Sur; Baguio City

• Intensity IV – Gonzaga, Cagayan; Baler, Aurora; Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya; Ramos, Tarlac; Ilagan, Isabela; Basista, Pangasinan; Claveria, Cagayan; San Jose, Palayan City and Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija; Madella, Quirino; Tabuk, Kalinga; Santiago City, Isabela

• Intensity III – Quezon City; Iba, Zambales; Navotas City, Malabon City, Metro Manila; Magalang & Guagua Pampanga; Bolinao, Sison & Infanta, Pangasinan; Bulakan, San Ildefonso, Guiguinto, Plaridel, and Malolos City, Bulacan; Tarlac City, Tarlac

• Intensity II – Dona Remedios Trinidad, Angat & Santa Maria, Bulacan; Tagaytay City, Cavite; Pasig City Metro Manila; Polillo, Gumaca & Infanta, Quezon

• Intensity I – Tanay, Taytay, Morong, Antipolo City, Rizal; Marilao,Bulacan; San Juan City, Las Pinas City, Metro Manila; Lucban, Quezon; Subic, Zambales; Mercedes, Camarines Norte; Olongapo City, Zambales; Carmona, Cavite

Phivolcs said damage and aftershocks were expected.

Source: inquirer.net