Magnitude 5.2 quake jolts Wao, Lanao del Sur on Easter Sunday

In its bulletin, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said the strongest among the seven aftershocks of the magnitude 6.0 earthquake on Holy Wednesday occurred at 4:40 a.m. Sunday, recorded at magnitude 5.2. (Photo: Eugene Alvin Villar/ Wikipedia)

COTABATO CITY–Seven more aftershocks greeted the people of Wao, Lanao del Sur and its surrounding areas on Easter Sunday, with the first happening at 1:26 a.m. with magnitude 2.3, the state volcanology office said.

In its bulletin, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said the strongest among the seven aftershocks of the magnitude 6.0 earthquake on Holy Wednesday occurred at 4:40 a.m. Sunday, recorded at magnitude 5.2.

Prior to this, the seismologists recorded a magnitude 4.3 at 4:37 a.m. immediately followed by magnitude 3.3 at 4:48 a.m.

All were tectonic in origin and traced between 12 to 24 kilometers from Wao.

The magnitude 5.2 was felt at Intensity 5 in Wao, Lanao Del Sur; Intensity 4 – Kalilangan, Bukidnon; Intensity III – Cotabato City; Intensity 2 – Cagayan De Oro City; Pangantucan, Maramag, Valencia City and Quezon, Bukidnon

Phivolcs said no casualty was reported and more aftershocks are expected.

Since Wednesday’s temblor, more than 320 aftershocks were recorded.

Wao, a town in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) is about three hours drive from Cotabato City via the Alamada-Banisilan-Wao route.

At least 100 houses, two mosques, hospitals and school buildings were damaged by the quake.

Most of the people prefer to stay in an open field for fear of more aftershocks happening.

On Black Saturday, workers of the Office of Civil Defense in the ARMM distributed tents and water containers for the displaced families.

The Catholic Church in Wao has appealed to the public for safe drinking water for the quake victims as sources of water had been affected by small landslides.