Magnitude 6.2 Earthquake Jolts Philippines, Tremors Felt in Capital Manila

A magnitude 6.2 earthquake jolted the Philippines with tremors felt in the capital city of Manila.

The quake, recorded in Calatagan Batangas, struck on Thursday morning, June 15, according to the Philippine seismology institute.

Magnitude 6.2 Earthquake Hits the Philippines

According to Reuters, the Philippine seismology agency recorded a magnitude 6.2 earthquake with an epicenter at Calatagan Batangas.

Meanwhile, the German Research Centre for Geosciences or GFZ reported that a 6.5 magnitude quake jolted Mindoro island. The GFZ recorded the depth of the quake at around 10 kilometers or 6.21 miles.

As per Inquirer, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) says that the tectonic tremor had a depth of 103 kilometers. But despite that, the agency did not issue any tsunami warnings.

Phivolcs notes that the earthquake jolted its epicenter at 10:19 am.

The tremors from the earthquake struck the cities in the capital region of the Philippines, Metro Manila, including nearby provinces such as Cavite, Laguna, and Rizal. State seismologists report that Quezon City, Mandaluyong, and Manila residents felt an "Intensity IV" quake.

In a recent tweet by CNN Philippines, Philippine transit systems in the capital region have suspended their operations due to the 6.2 magnitude quake amid its safety inspections. The temporary closure affects passengers of LRT-1, LRT-2, MRT, and PNR.

The Philippine seismology institute advised residents to gear up for possible aftershocks and property damages.

World Bank Urges PH to Prepare for 'The Big One' Earthquake

Last March, Business World reported that the World Bank urged the Philippine Government to invest in disaster response programs to gear up for a potentially catastrophic earthquake.

The World Bank warned that the earthquake on the West Valley Fault in Metro Manila "could result in an estimated 48,000 fatalities." On top of that, the possible scenario could also leave a whopping $48 billion worth of economic losses. The estimated strength of the catastrophic quake is around 7.2 magnitude.

The West Valley Fault covers various highly urbanized cities in the capital region of the Philippines. It includes Makati, Taguig, Parañaque, Marikina, Pasig, Muntinlupa and Quezon City. It also traverses nearby provinces, such as Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, and Rizal.

The Philippine volcanology institute says the West Valley fault typically shakes after every 200 to 400 years. As of writing, the last time it moved was way back in the 1600s or roughly 365 years ago.

In other news, the most active Philippine volcano, Mayon, has erupted, prompting thousands of nearby residents to evacuate.

This is a developing story. Keep your tabs here at Headlines and Global News for more updates about the magnitude 6.2 earthquake that stucked the Philippines.

Tags

Earthquake, Philippines, Manila