Magnitude 5 quake jolts Batangas, nearby areas

Intensity IV was felt in the towns of Mabini, San Luis, Lemery, Rosario, Agoncillo, Calatagan, Balayan, Bauan, Sta. Teresita; all in Batangas; and Tagaytay City, Alfonso, and Amadeo in Cavite. (Photo from Phivolcs Website via PNA)

MANILA – A magnitude 5 quake jolted Batangas and was felt in nearby areas, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) reported on Thursday afternoon.

The tectonic quake struck 9 km. southwest of the municipality of Mabini at 1:25 p.m. Phivolcs earlier logged this as magnitude 4.5 and later updated it to magnitude 5. It had a depth of 2 km.

Intensity IV was felt in the towns of Mabini, San Luis, Lemery, Rosario, Agoncillo, Calatagan, Balayan, Bauan, Sta. Teresita; all in Batangas; and Tagaytay City, Alfonso, and Amadeo in Cavite.

Intensity III was also felt in Batangas City; Malvar, Talisay, Tanauan, and Alitagtag towns in Batangas; and San Pablo, Laguna.

Intensity II was reported in Quezon City; Mandaluyong City; Navotas City; Majayjay, Laguna; and Dolores, Quezon, while Intensity I was reported in Malabon City; Pasay City; Talisay, Batangas; and Sta. Cruz, Laguna.

Some netizens in Cavite and Metro Manila also took to social media saying that they felt an earthquake past 1 p.m., and were wondering if it was really an earthquake.

Phivolcs said aftershocks are possible, while damages are not expected from the quake.