The US Geological Survey reported that a magnitude 6.2 earthquake struck the Philippines on Thursday, affirming that there were no immediate reports of damage.
The earthquake occurred at a depth of 112 kilometers at around 10:00 am local time, in waters off Calatagan town.
Meanwhile, Calatagan police chief Emil Mendoza indicate that he and his staff rushed outside following the tremor. “It was a bit strong. We had to run outside,” Mendoza told AFP.
Mendoza added that there were no immediate reports of casualties or damage, noting that the authorities had been deployed to assess the earthquake’s impact.
In the same vein, Calatagan disaster officer Ronald Torres pointed out that the quake lasted between 30 seconds and a minute.
The state seismological agency warned of aftershocks but ruled out tsunami waves due to the tremor’s depth.
Accordingly, runways and taxiways at Ninoy Aquino International Airport were temporarily closed to inspect for any damage to the pavement.
The country’s transportation department also highlighted that the operation of the capital’s metro system was halted while tracks were checked for possible damage.
Diego Mariano, information officer at the civil defense office, stated that authorities were still assessing the impact of the quake.
“As of now, no major damage or casualties as of reporting time. Assessment is still ongoing,” Mariano told reporters in a message.
