Series of earthquakes hit Visayas

Before the magnitude 6.2 earthquake felt in Negros Occidental on Tuesday, a series of earthquakes were detected by the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology since Monday.

On Monday at 12.24 a.m., a magnitude 3.6 was detected near Bago in Negros Occidental. This was followed by earthquakes with magnitudes of 5.2, 4.8, 2.8, 3.5, and another 3.5 all near Cauayan in Negros Occidental between 1:40 a.m. to 11:07 p.m.

On Tuesday at 4:47 a.m., a magnitude of 6.2 was detected near Cauayan again. This was followed by a 5.7 at 5:03 a.m. The magnitude 6.2 earthquake was the strongest to have shaken the country since Monday.

Dumaguete felt another earthquake at 5:05 a.m. This had a magnitude of 5.5.

At 6:50 a.m. and 7:05 a.m., Cauayan was shaken again with a 3.8 and a 3.4.

Sipalay in Negros Occidental also was shaken at 7:10 a.m. and 7:29 a.m. with a 4.7 and 3.3, respectively.

Cauayan and Sipalay then felt nine shakings with magnitudes ranging from 3.0 to 3.5, between 4:49 a.m. to 11:52 a.m.

At 4:56 p.m., still on Tuesday, Phivolcs reported a 4.9 near Cauayan in Negros Occidental. The United States States Geological Survey, however, estimated this as a 5.4.

Two more earthquakes were reported by the USGS at 7:29 p.m. and 9:17 p.m. on Tuesday with magnitudes 4.7 and 4.8 near Dumaguete. — DBL