Philippines rocked by 20 earthquakes in two days

Manila: A total of 20 earthquakes, including three powerful ones, rocked different parts of the Philippines from April 17 to 18, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) told Gulf News on Saturday.

Eight weak earthquakes ranging from magnitudes 2.6 to 3.5 occurred in northern Luzon, the central and southern Philippines on Friday, a day after two strong quakes measuring 4.9 and 4.5 in magnitude struck three minutes apart in Batanes Province, northern Luzon on Thursday, Phivolcs said.

Data showed that 4.9 magnitude quake occurred 171kms west of Sabtang, Batanes at 11.47pm on April 17, followed by 4.5 magnitude quake 165km west of Sabtang at 11.50pm on the same day, Phivolcs said.

Prior to these incidents, nine other earthquakes ranging from 2.4 to 3.7 in magnitude hit different parts of the country on Thursday, April 17 — one in northern Luzon, five in southern Luzon, and three in the central Philippines, on April 17, Phivolcs said.

A more power temblor, measuring 5.5 on the Richter scale, struck 244km south-west of Palimbang, Sultan Kudarat, in the southern Philippines just after noon on April 17.

The unusual number of earthquakes that criss-crossed the Philippines in these two days could signify the occurrence of a major earthquake, Phivolcs warned, but did not give details.

The Philippines is part of the Asia Pacific’s Ring of Fire where earthquakes commonly occur.