Strong Earthquake in Southern Leyte

A Strong Earthquake hit Southern Leyte this morning at 07:75. The earthquake of magnitude 5.4 occurred in a depth of 6 km near Hinundayan in Southern Leyte. The felt intensity was VI on  PEIS (Phivolcs Earthquake Intensity Scale). 

Intensity VI is very strong. Many people become scared; many may run outdoors. Some people lose their balance. Motorists feel like driving in flat tires. Heavy objects or furniture move or may be shifted. Small church bells may ring. Wall plaster may crack. Very old or poorly built houses and man-made structures are slightly damaged though well-built structures are not affected. Limited rockfalls and rolling boulders occur in hilly to mountainous areas and escarpments. Trees shake noticeably.

This interactive map and more information is available here.

Intensities were reported as:
Intensity VI – Hinunangan and St. Bernard, Southern Leyte
Intensity IV – Tacloban City
Intensity III – Palo, Leyte
Intensity II – Cebu City and Talisay City; Surigao City
Intensity I – Lapu Lapu City

The intensity scale is available here.

PHIVOLCS announces that this tectonic earthquake will probably be followed by aftershocks.

Update at 8:15 p.m. (PST):

The earthquake damaged four school buildings, at least 10 houses, a district hospital and several structures in the towns of St. Bernard, Hinundayan, Hinunangan, San Juan, Anahawan and Silago.

In St. Bernard cracks were found on the floor and beams of the Red Cross Building, the wall of a school building, walls of the tourism office as well as the walls near the stairway and beams of the Barangay Hall of Himatagon.

The Leyte-Samar electrical sub-grid remains intact as there has been no reported cases of power interruptions and damaged transmission facilities in the area.

[GARD]