By Kim Arveen Patria | Yahoo Southeast Asia Newsroom – Wed, Dec 4, 2013
A magnitude 5.7 quake struck off Davao Oriental early Wednesday but no tsunami alert has been raised, state seismologists said.
The tectonic earthquake was felt at around 7:58 a.m. with the center located 57 kilometers southeast of the town of Mati.
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology it was felt strongest (intensity V) in Mati and in Toril, Davao del Sur.
Other areas that felt the shock were:
Intensity IV: Digos City; Don Marcelino and Malita, Davao del Sur
Intensity III: Butuan City; Kidapawan City; Tagum City; Panabo City; Compostela Valley; Matanao, Davao del Sur
Intensity II: San Francisco, Agusan del Sur; Cotabato City; Gen. Santos City; Koronadal City; Polomolok, South Cotabato; Alabel Sarangani
No damage is expected from the earthquake but Phivolcs said in its bulletin that aftershocks may be expected.
In an interview with ANC, Phivolcs chief Renato Solidum said the tremor is not related to the deadly quake the shook Bohol.
Solidum attributed the quake to the Philippine fault zone, which extends offshore from the mainland, or the Philippine trench.
He added that no tsunami alert has been raised following the earthquake, even if it struck underwater.
“While the earthquake is offshore, the magnitude is not very large so it is not enough to trigger tsunamis,” Solidum said.