Magnitude 7 quake strikes Sarangani
A magnitude 7 earthquake jolted Sarangani, Davao Occidental on Wednesday, Aug. 5.
According to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, the quake struck at 12:13 p.m. with a depth of 10 kilometers.
Intensity V was recorded in Sarangani.
The quake did not trigger a tsunami warning, per Phivolcs. There were no immediate reports of casualties or damage.
Sarangani Island rescuer Harly Sauro told AFP the quake had struck while a large number of people had gathered to receive a government subsidy.
"The shaking was quite strong. I saw people in panic. They were running and shouting," he said.
"The earthquake came while the local government was giving a financial subsidy, so there were many people at the court, but everyone's safe," he added.
"Based on our assessment and experience, we don't think there will be casualties or damage."
The quake follows a powerful June 8 tremor that toppled buildings, triggered landslides and killed at least 76 people on the nearby island of Mindanao.
That earthquake, driven by a shifting of the Cotabato trench, raised the seabed by as much as two meters (6.6 feet), exposing coral and harming marine life.
Earthquakes are a near-daily occurrence in the Philippines, which is situated on the Pacific "Ring of Fire," an arc of intense seismic activity stretching from Japan through Southeast Asia and across the Pacific basin. (with reports from AFP)
